When Memory Speaks
by Pysche
Summary: COMPLETE Yami longed for another chance at life, but when his wish was granted he found himself unsure how to use it - until he fell in love with Seto Kaiba. But would this love give meaning to his new life or reawaken the memories of his old? SetoYami
1. Default Chapter

**A/N**: Okay, I think I need to explain a little about this story first thing, so all of you won't get confused. This fic is really like two stories in one, half in the present and half in the past - though the past doesn't come up much in the first chapter. It's semi-AU; there are a lot of similarities with the AE arc, but a lot of it's my own. I'll be calling Seto and Yami by the same names in both the past and present, just to make things a little easier. I think that's all you need to know; but if anything confuses you please tell me.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

This fic is dedicated to Rekall, who read over it and gave me ideas as I was writing. Without her it probably wouldn't have made it past the second chapter.

* * *

Chapter 1

Some things never leave a person. Most moments fade away into nothing, but others… Others sear into your mind in a blinding flash, and fifty years later you can recall every single detail of a memory that changed your life, and you find you are able to return to that moment as if it still lay directly before your eyes in all its overwhelming glory.

I can still remember the way the air smelled the first day I saw Seto Kaiba smile.

It happened on one chill, blustery November afternoon, when I bundled into my warmest leather jacket and went for a walk, needing to feel the sun on my face even if it offered no warmth. Yugi and his friends had all gone to school, leaving me alone at the game shop while Yugi's Jiichan fastidiously swept the sidewalk outside- until customers would come. Then he would go back inside, taking care of the customers; until, when they left, he picked up his broom and began sweeping some more, awaiting new customers to interrupt his work.

Eventually I couldn't take anymore of this vicious cycle, so I escaped to my room. There I sat; staring out the window at the dying leaves hanging brown and withered from dark, twisted tree branches and intermittently dropping and coasting through the air to the sidewalk Jiichan cleaned so painstakingly. A clock on the wall behind me ticked steadily, endlessly marking each passing second of this pointless day; and though I tried to ignore it, the monotonous ticking resounded in my ears until frustrated tears built behind my eyes. I hastily blinked them away, and glancing out the window once more at the cold, cheerless sun, I grabbed my warmest jacket and rushed out the door.

Once I turned a corner and escaped Jiichan's nonstop sweeping, I let out a deep sigh of relief and inhaled the cold autumn air. It smelled musky, like the decaying leaves that littered the sidewalk at my feet, though tainted with the odor of gasoline and car exhaust. I sighed again and kept walking, listening to the rhythmic patter of my feet against the concrete as I strolled down the deserted sidewalk. Glancing briefly once more at the cheerless sun, I let my thoughts drift.

Not long ago, I dreamed of this. Walking on my own two feet again, without sharing another's presence, and having the chance to form new memories to replace the ones I had long forgotten… That was a desire I never even dared to express. So, when Isis came to me two weeks ago with a spell to grant me my own body, I could scarcely believe it- and I never felt anything as strong as the great swell of happiness that surged through me and lodged itself in my throat the moment I looked into a mirror…and saw myself. Just me; without Yugi, though of course he stood beside me, looking on proudly.

But now… I had been so happy to be separate from Yugi, while he stood beside me, but all too quickly Yugi went on with his own life; with school and his friends, and I realized that I didn't quite fit into this new world, with this new body. Yugi and the others were still as close to me as ever, asking for my advice, and every now and then challenging me to a friendly duel; but nonetheless I felt slightly outside of things, especially when they would talk about school, their part-time jobs, or other such topics that were perfectly normal to them but that I couldn't understand.

I sighed. This was too confusing. Honestly, I loved my life now; loved being able to feel the sun on my face; to be able to look someone in the eye and know they looked back at me, just me. And I certainly didn't feel left out of Yugi-tachi…I just didn't fit. It almost seemed like something was missing- like there was an empty spot somewhere in my new life, though I couldn't place it.

Plus I got _really_ tired of watching Jiichan sweep the floor all day.

Suddenly I realized that while I had been wrapped in my musings my feet had led me all the way to the wharfs at the edge of town. I took a deep breath, inhaling the salty sea air- somehow still tinged with the odor of motor oil, probably from machinery around the docks –and glanced around me. To my right, perched on the very edge of the wooden planks that stretched out into the ocean, stood a tall, lean brunet wearing monochromatic black, including a long coat that flapped along his ankles in the sea breeze. His thick brown hair whipped around his face as I watched, transfixed. He was so beautiful…

I slowly approached the incredible creature, my heart pounding a calypso beat against my ribs. This felt almost like a strange dream- I had just been wondering about the missing piece in my life, only to find _him_ waiting for me; this wonderful…this beautiful…

He turned his head slightly and I caught a glimpse of eyes an even brighter blue than the ocean before him. I froze. Only one person I knew had eyes that shade…

"_Kaiba_?" I whispered in shock. Why hadn't I recognized him? He just seemed so different; standing there gazing at the ocean- he was like nothing I'd ever seen before. Feeling more than a little uncomfortable with the fact that my arrogant rival had drawn such a reaction from me, I sighed and began to turn away; but, glancing once more in Kaiba's direction, I saw a tiny, soft smile spread across his face, revealing his white teeth as he watched the ocean's waves with a wistful, distant expression in his eyes.

My heart stopped.

Then, what seemed like ages later, Kaiba's face returned to its typical neutral expression and my treacherous heart started beating once again, though it sank to somewhere near the pit of my stomach. I couldn't believe what I was feeling; when he had smiled I felt as entranced as I had the moment I first saw him, when I hadn't realized he was, well, _Kaiba_. Glancing once more at the stunning brunet balanced on the edge of the pier, I finally turned away and plodded slowly back toward the game shop.

* * *

"Yami? YAMI!"

"Hmm? What?" I asked, blinking out of my trance, only to find Yugi staring at me with an annoyed frown. Jou, Honda, and Anzu looked on from the couch, grinning. Yugi raised an eyebrow and nodded down at the counter, where I had been pouring myself a cup of coffee. It was late afternoon, but I needed the caffeine anyway; it helped steady me after that strange encounter with Kaiba earlier in the day. Kaiba…he had just seemed so _different_, standing there; it was as if I'd caught him in a moment when he was truly being himself, instead of the arrogant, proud CEO everyone had come to expect…

"YAMI!!!!" Yugi shouted once more at the top of his lungs. "WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING?!!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked in confusion, breaking from my reverie once again.

"You're pouring coffee all over everything! Do you not even feel it?!" Yugi groaned.

"Huh?" I finally glanced down at my hands; and sure enough I had emptied almost the entire coffeepot into my overflowing cup, and steaming coffee poured all down my hand, over the counter and onto the freshly-swept floor. Suddenly I felt the hot liquid burning my hand and I jerked it away, wincing in pain - but as I did I knocked the coffee cup onto the hard tile floor, where it shattered.

"Oh, no, that was Jiichan's favorite cup!" Yugi groaned. "Yami, what is wrong with you today?"

"Sorry, Yugi," I apologized. "I'll clean it up…" As I spoke, I shook my burned hand to alleviate the pain- and I bumped the coffeepot, sending it flying through the air to join the cup in millions of tiny shards.

Yugi-tachi and I stared at the mess in shock, until Jiichan bustled into the room. "Oh, dear, what a mess!" he commented. "Well, I'll just sweep it up, then!" Whistling, he sauntered jauntily from the room, no doubt headed for the broom closet.

"I'm leaving," I said.

* * *

"Well, well, if it isn't the pharaoh," a snide voice drawled as I hurried along the sidewalk, still buttoning my thick black coat. I turned to see a skinny young man with narrow eyes and long, white hair leaning casually against the brick wall of one of the town's less-than-reputable bars.

"Go away, Tomb Robber," I snapped, and continued on my way.

He followed me.

"Aren't _we_ in a nasty mood," he scoffed, easily keeping up with my rapid strides. "So, what brings the almighty pharaoh to this part of town? Did he have a fight with his little cronies?"

I paused in my tracks, glaring at him. "For your information, I just went out for a cup of coffee. Now why can't you go find someone else to harass?" I countered. He just smirked, his pointed canines glinting in the darkening evening sky.

"Coffee, hmm? Then why are you in such a hurry? And in this part of town?" Bakura asked, pointedly eyeing my coat, which now had the buttons in the wrong holes so that it hung askew, one side bunched against my shoulder in a demented sort of hump.

I scowled fiercely and began walking again (while discreetly adjusting my coat) without answering. The truth was that after my accident with the coffee I had rushed out to avoid Yugi-tachi's embarrassing questions, though of course I couldn't tell Bakura that. As I hurried down the street, my face reddened when I remembered the cause of my accident.

I definitely couldn't tell Bakura _that_.

But, naturally, the psychotic white-haired fiend kept following me. Bakura whistled casually and stuck his hands in his pockets as he pretended to stroll aimlessly, all the while keeping up with my rapid strides. Eventually he spoke again. "My, Pharaoh, your face is awfully red. Trying to hide a secret crush, are we?"

I froze in my tracks, gaping in wonder. How could he possibly have known that?

"Wh-what?" I stuttered.

"So sorry to break your heart, but I just don't feel the same way," Bakura continued with a mock sigh.

I groaned loudly. "_Why_ did Isis have to give you a body, too?" I grumbled, though a part of me was relieved that Bakura hadn't guessed how I felt about Kaiba. Then again, though he was teasing, I wouldn't have been surprised if Bakura did figure it out - he could really be shrewd when he wanted to be.

As if in response to my thoughts, Bakura eyed me suspiciously and a wicked smirk spread across his face. He opened his mouth to say something when a breathless voice interrupted him.

"Bakura!"

The fiend and I turned to see his look-alike running down the sidewalk at full speed, panting for air. His wide, normally-innocent brown eyes flashed angrily as he glared at Bakura, and the thief shifted uncomfortably beside me. I stared in wonder. "What is it, Ryou?" Bakura muttered.

Ryou skidded to a halt directly before the tomb robber, still glaring fiercely. "_What is it_?! You left me in that bar all by myself! You said you were just going outside to smoke!" Ryou cried. "Once you were gone, I almost got mauled!"

"WHAT! HOW DARE THEY TOUCH YOU?!" Bakura shouted at the top of his lungs, whipping out a deadly-looking switchblade from somewhere under his sleeve, and took off at full speed back toward the bar.

Ryou ran after him, crying worriedly, "Wait! You can't take that knife in there! You'll just get kicked out again!"

I was left standing alone in the middle of the dark sidewalk, still blinking in surprise long after they had disappeared.

* * *

The next day, after Yugi went to school, I hurriedly dressed in my thickest black jacket (making sure the buttons were properly aligned this time), black pants, and boots, adding a red scarf the exact shade of my eyes- though not for extra protection against the November chill. I was going to see Kaiba again, and I planned on looking my best. Smiling indulgently to myself, I carefully inspected my reflection in the mirror before rushing out the game shop door.

My boots clacked rapidly against the sidewalk, matching my heart's frantic pace at the thought of seeing the proud rival I'd become so besotted with just yesterday morning. Last night, after Bakura and Ryou had rushed off to what would inevitably become a bloody brawl, I had abandoned any thoughts of coffee and slowly ambled back home to a darkened house.

Yugi waited for me, though his friends had gone, and when I tiptoed quietly through the door into the dark game shop, he called out to me from his seat on the couch. "Yami! Come here, please."

I approached him with a sinking heart, not meeting his eyes. "Yugi, it's late. You should be in bed - you have school tomorrow," I muttered.

He laughed softly. "I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway; I'm too curious about you. You've been so distracted today - it's not like you. What's going on?" Yugi asked.

I hesitated, unsure of how to answer. I didn't want to lie to Yugi - he was my best friend, my partner in everything – but then, I wasn't so sure of exactly what was happening myself. "Yugi…I don't know. I've just had a lot to think about lately," I replied vaguely.

He raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing me carefully, before finally nodding in acceptance. "Alright, Yami. Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll work it out; and I'm here if you need me." Yugi smiled reassuringly at me before rising, stretching widely, and plodding up the stairs to his bedroom. For a long time afterwards, I stared after him, contemplating his words. I had to work this out- whatever it was.

So, here I was the next day, rushing back to the wharf in the hopes of seeing Kaiba again, maybe staring out into the sea with that incredible wistful smile that had instantly fascinated me in a way I couldn't explain. Eagerly I turned down the final street toward my destination, and as the docks came into view I scanned them carefully, examining every last detail, especially the pier where my former rival had stood the day before.

He wasn't there.

A funny bitter tang rose to the back of my throat, and I loosened the crimson scarf and tugged it from my throat, letting it dangle listlessly from one hand as I trudged along Kaiba's pier until I stood at the very edge, peering into the murky blue water. I dropped the scarf on the wooden dock beside me and plopped to the ground, lifting my gaze to the distant horizon, glinting in the light of the cold sun. I wondered what Kaiba had seen in it to make him smile that way.

Sighing, I buried my face in the palms of my hands and rubbed my eyes, which had begun prickling painfully. The bitter tang at the back of my throat thickened into a dull ache, and I gulped. Why had I really expected Kaiba to be here, anyway? Surely he had more work than he could handle, running his corporation, and it had been an incredible fluke for me to see him here yesterday.

But I had. And now I couldn't forget it.

I lowered my palms from my face and stared once more at the glinting waves. They swished against the docks with a predictable natural rhythm, like a breath or a heartbeat, as I tried to focus on the sound and banish the ever-tightening ache from the back of my throat. I clenched my eyes tightly, forcing all thoughts from my mind but the constant rhythm of the waves.

Swish.

A lean figure, clad in black, dark hair whipping in the wind.

Swish.

Blue eyes, brighter than the ocean, gazing distantly at the sea.

Swish.

_A lean figure, clad in sweeping white robes, dark hair whipping in the wind._

Swish.

_Blue eyes, brighter than the ocean, gazing over windswept plains of sand._

My eyes snapped open even as a sudden flood of tears poured down my face. What was that? A memory from my past life? I'd had flashes before, and Isis had said Kaiba was involved somehow with my past; but this was the first time I'd seen him. I knew it was him - he looked exactly the way he had the day before, wearing the exact same distant expression - and I desperately needed to see more. So, I squeezed my eyes shut once more, ignoring the stinging liquid still streaming from between my eyelids, but another vision never came.

After a long, tense moment, the only sound the continual whoosh of the waves, I reluctantly slid my eyes open again. At least I could still recall the image of the wondrous figure in his sweeping robes… My heart clenched painfully and I rose, grabbing the crimson scarf. Swiping an arm across my wet face, I glanced once more at the ocean before turning toward home.

I'd seen enough of Kaiba for one day.

* * *

It's intriguing (though incredibly irritating) how fate tends to throw you off track as soon as you've made up your mind about anything; as if you shouldn't bother having goals in the first place, since they all end up skewed in the end, anyway. After my vision of Kaiba at the wharf, I felt drawn to him more than ever; and now I had the image of him in his Egyptian robes added to the one of his wistful smile. But this new image had some strange emotion connected to it that I couldn't place, and though I tried to force it from my mind, it continually kept returning- and every time it did I felt as if my chest was being ripped to shreds.

I couldn't stop crying the whole way home.

When I finally made it back to the game shop, I snuck around Jiichan, who was waiting on some customers, and trudged up the stairs to wash the traces of tears from my face. I shut and locked the bathroom door behind me, wetting a washcloth in the sink before I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I looked terrible. My crimson eyes had become puffy and bloodshot, and my nose had reddened until almost my entire face matched the scarf around my neck.

I covered my face with the cold, wet washcloth and left it there for a long time, breathing in the wet air through the terrycloth fabric, until the cloth didn't feel cold anymore. Then I dampened it again and held it over my face once more as that stinging ache resurfaced in my throat. Water dripped steadily onto my scarf.

Just then someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Yami? Are you in there?" Yugi's muffled voice called through the thick wood.

I lowered the washcloth and examined my face in the mirror before I answered. The redness had disappeared, as well as the puffy bags under my eyes, though I seemed paler than usual; so I decided it was safe to open the door and talk to him. "Yugi? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at school?" I asked, drying my face with my sleeve as I opened the door.

"We got out early today. Teacher's conference. I told you about it before," he answered, his wide violet eyes narrowed in concern. "Yami, are you alright? You don't look so good."

"Yes, I'm fine. I just got back from a walk," I replied, brushing past him and walking toward my room as I unbuttoned my coat.

"Wait, don't do that. Everyone's here and I was wondering if you wanted to go eat with us."

I shrugged halfheartedly and buttoned my coat again. It wouldn't hurt to do something fun with Yugi-tachi; then, at least, I could get my mind off Kaiba and that disturbing image of him in his Egyptian robes. Yugi grinned at me and cheerily thumped down the stairs, calling out to his friends as he went. "Yami's coming, everyone!"

I followed Yugi at a slightly more subdued pace, smiling softly at his antics. Sometimes I tended to forget that Yugi was still a teenager; since, though I was physically his age, I had been sealed in the Sennen Puzzle for so long that I felt ages older. Kaiba seemed older, too… I shook my head briskly to banish the thought of him as I entered the front room of the game shop, where Yugi-tachi were all gathered, chattering noisily- including Ryou and the Tomb Robber.

Bakura smirked. I groaned inwardly.

"Hello Pharaoh. You look terrible," he greeted.

I scowled, trying to ignore his comment, when the bell over the game shop door sounded the entrance of two new figures- a smiling, raven-haired boy of about twelve, and a tall, slim brunet with brilliant cerulean eyes, wearing a light blue shirt with a high collar under a long duster jacket the same shade as his eyes. My heart stopped.

"Have fun, Mokuba. I'll be back to pick you up in a few hours," Kaiba told the boy before turning on a heel, not even bothering to glance at the rest of us. I stared at him as he opened the door, the bell sounding once more, and my feet led me across the room against my will.

"Wait, Seto! I thought you were coming with us!" Mokuba protested.

Kaiba paused in the doorway, not turning around, and shook his head firmly. "I have work to do," he answered shortly. I kept creeping closer.

"Well, at least say hello to everyone," Mokuba sighed. "I don't think you've even seen Yami since he got his own body."

"Mokuba, you know I don't believe in that nonsense," Kaiba retorted, finally twisting to face his brother; but by that time I stood beside Mokuba, unable to tear my gaze from Kaiba. As soon as Kaiba noticed me our eyes locked and I felt a crackling, staticky tingle run through me, starting at the base of my spine and spreading outward until the tips of my fingers throbbed. Still, I stared helplessly into Kaiba's slightly widened eyes. "Yami?" he questioned simply.

_I sat at an elaborately carved wooden table, poring over stacks of paper. My scribes' carefully handwritten reports were perfectly done and easy to understand, yet they still inevitably gave me a headache. Wearily I pinched the bridge of my nose to banish the pain, glancing longingly out the window at the crystal sky, framed by brilliant orange clouds as the sun set over Egypt._

_I sighed. Why had my father had to die so young? Now I was faced with the responsibility of leading an entire country without even his guidance, and I had no other family to look to for help. And I was merely sixteen years old. Instead of spending my leisure time with friends outside under that perfect sky, any spare second outside of court was spent reviewing endless heavy scrolls of papyrus, or studying the works of ancient pharaohs so that I could better rule my people. _

_It was lonely._

_Giving the flawless sunset one last wistful glance, I turned doggedly back to my scribes' reports when a brisk knock sounded at the door. "Come in," I called listlessly, expecting a servant to bring me even more tedious papers; but the door swung open to reveal my newest priest, a tall, slim young man with dark brown hair a few years older than myself. He stepped confidently into the room, bowing slightly in respect, and I nodded at him in acknowledgement, curious as to what he wanted. We'd never actually spoken before._

_The priest rose from his short bow and assertively met my gaze with a pair of strikingly bright blue eyes. "Yami?" he questioned simply._

I blinked. Kaiba stared at me in confusion and the game shop had fallen into a tense silence- I could feel Yugi-tachi's questioning gaze on the back of my head. I blinked again and took a step backward, tearing my gaze from Kaiba's face to inspect the spotless tile floor. The heavy silence hung in the air a moment longer until I finally regained my senses; then I lifted my head once more (not quite meeting his eyes) and said, "It's good to see you, Kaiba."

With that, I spun on a heel and climbed back up the staircase to lock myself in my room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! hope you like the new chapter!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 2

I sat beside the window staring at the sidewalk outside the game shop until I saw Kaiba's sleek black Ferrari pull away from the curb. Then, taking a deep, shuddering breath, I rose and began frantically pacing the floor. What was going on? First, I was attracted to Kaiba, and now… Now I was apparently having flashbacks of my past life - of _him_.

I suddenly felt rather queasy.

As I continued pacing, a hesitant knock sounded at the door to my room. "Yami? Are you alright?" Yugi called worriedly. "What happened to you downstairs? You spaced out and I thought you were having some kind of fit; then you ran up here all of a sudden."

Taking another deep breath, I paused and answered in my most neutral voice, "I'm fine. I just don't feel well. I think I'll stay home - you all go eat without me."

"I don't know; if you're sick maybe I should stay. You did look really pale," Yugi said doubtfully.

I opened the door and gave him a strained smile. "No, I'm fine. Go on," I assured him. He furrowed his brow and I watched indecision flash through his wide violet eyes before he finally nodded.

"Okay, if you're sure. I'll bring you back some soup or something," Yugi told me as Jou's impatient voice floated up the stairs.

"Hey, Yug, what's takin' so long? I'm hungry!" he grumbled.

"What else is new?" Honda quipped.

"Why, you…" Jounouchi threatened, and the sounds of scuffling echoed through the game shop. Yugi and I grinned and he waved briefly before running off to join his friends.

Smiling softly after Yugi's departing form, I shut the door once more and stretched out on my back across the bed, closing my eyes and trying not to think of Kaiba. That first flashback…it had felt so painful, for some reason, and my chest ached just remembering it. But the second…The second was different. It was much more…peaceful. Comforting.

With that thought, I relaxed completely and drifted into a light doze.

* * *

"_Yami?" he questioned simply._

_I raised an eyebrow. Ever since my father died, no one had ever dared to call me by my first name; but now this impertinent new priest addressed me as an equal. I should have been outraged, but for some reason I found that I didn't mind. In fact, I rather liked it. As I continued to regard him, the young priest realized his error and blanched - his tanned skin paling to an almost ghostly white._

"_Pharaoh. Pharaoh Yami. Forgive me, Your Majesty; it was a slip of the tongue."_

_I waved it off and gestured for him to sit in the chair opposite me; and he obeyed silently, lowering his proud gaze ever-so-slightly so that he no longer met my eyes. The color came back to his face, but now his cheeks were tinged slightly pink in his embarrassment over his mistake. _

"_Seto, is it? What brings you here?" I asked, still observing him curiously. A thick lock of brown hair slipped from under his priestly headdress, falling into his eyes, and he adjusted it before replying._

"_Pharaoh, as you know I am the new priest of the Sennen Rod, but you might not have been aware of the fact that the gods have also granted me the gift of seeing the future; and whenever they will it I have… visions. I am a Seer," Seto told me proudly, lifting his cerulean eyes to meet mine once more._

"_A Seer? Like Isis, with the Sennen Tauk?" I questioned eagerly. This was incredible news - another priest with fortune-telling powers could be a great asset to the kingdom._

_Seto smiled a little at my enthusiastic response, his lips parting ever-so-slightly to reveal even, white teeth before his expression sank once more into seriousness. "Yes, Your Majesty. That is why I came to speak with you; but I'm afraid that what I have foreseen is not good news… Last night, I had a dream. In it, you and I stood atop one of the palace battlements, watching the sky. It had turned to darkness; and all around us strange, crackling shadows - like a stormy night but with a heat and overwhelming intensity that I've never seen – crept around us, trapping us on the tower until the only light that remained shone from the patch of sky directly above us. Then that too disappeared, and all that remained was the darkness."_

"_What does this mean?" I breathed._

_He glanced out the window at the twilight sky, the first stars of night beginning to appear as the sun sank lower on the horizon. I followed his gaze. "I don't know," Seto finally answered. "But I think it means that you are in danger."_

"_No," I murmured, still staring out the window, "I think it means we all are."_

_When I eventually turned back to face him, I found Seto scanning the papers scattered across my desk. I cleared my throat meaningfully and he jumped, but I grinned at him. "So," I said, smirking at his sheepish expression, "See anything interesting?"_

_Seto boldly met my eyes once more and nodded. "According to these reports, the farmers in the northeast region don't know how to conserve their resources. If you want things to run more efficiently, you need to assign someone to collect their crops and store them, then redistribute everything to the farmers as needed."_

_I gaped at him in awe- I'd been worrying about that issue for weeks. Shaking my head in wonder, I dug out some more reports that I'd shoved to the bottom of my stack in frustration. "What do you think about this?" I asked, handing them to Seto._

_Seto smiled broadly at me. My heart gave a tiny flutter._

* * *

I opened my eyes to the light of the midafternoon sun slanting across my face through my bedroom window. A quick glance at the clock beside my bed told me I'd been asleep for a couple of hours; so I ran a palm over my face to rid the drowsiness from my eyes and headed downstairs to see if Yugi had returned. As it turned out, the only other person around was Jiichan (who was outside busily sweeping the sidewalk) so I trudged into the living room and sank wearily into the sofa cushions to think about my dream.

So Seto and I had been friends, then, back in Egypt. And I had been attracted to him then, as well, judging from my reaction to his smile. I wondered if there had been anything more between us.

A dreamy smile crept across my face as I imagined this- what would it have been like to kiss that tanned skin? To fall asleep in his arms? Had I known this feeling once, only to lose Seto along with my memories, when I had sealed myself away for the good of my people?

Closing my eyes, I summoned the image of those crystal-blue eyes and that glorious smile. How could I have ever given up something like him?

The game shop door opened; but, assuming it was only Jiichan, I kept my eyes closed, reveling in the memory of my former priest and current object of my desire, until the air beside me shifted and I lazily slid my eyes open, sensing someone watching me. Kaiba stood beside the couch, smirking at me, his arms crossed across his chest. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" he drawled sarcastically.

My face burned with the unreasonable worry that he somehow knew what I was thinking and I shook my head quickly. "No. Are you here to pick up Mokuba? He's not back yet."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and plopped in the chair next to the sofa. "I assumed that," he retorted dryly.

We sat for a moment in silence until I began to feel awkward, torn between the longing to be near him and the desire to run away. I vaguely considered starting a conversation, but I couldn't think of anything to say, so I contented myself with watching him from the corner of my eye, gauging the differences between Kaiba and the priest from my dream.

There weren't many.

They had the same dark hair, the same eyes, and the same slim, tall frame - even similar personalities. My Seto had apparently been as brilliant a businessman as Kaiba. The thought made me smile proudly, and Kaiba raised an eyebrow questioningly at my expression. "What?" he droned.

The smile dropped from my face. "Nothing. I was just thinking of someone," I mumbled.

His other eyebrow joined the first and he scrutinized me seriously. "Really now?" Kaiba drawled, almost sounding surprised. "Who…?"

The loud chattering of teens announced the arrival of Yugi-tachi, interrupting Kaiba's question, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief. As the rambunctious teenagers piled in the doorway and into the living room, Kaiba regarded me silently for a moment longer; then, with one last glimpse over his shoulder in my direction, rose and glided silently out the door, gesturing to Mokuba to follow. The younger Kaiba cheerily waved to his friends before running after his brother, and a few seconds later the sound of a Ferrari engine faded into the distance.

I still stared at the door.

"Have a nice chat with the priest?" a voice murmured in my ear. I jumped in shock, my heart thudding and all the blood draining from my face.

"Wh-what?" I gasped, whipping my head around to see Bakura sitting beside me on the couch, smirking vindictively. "S-Seto's not a priest," I added, stuttering pathetically.

The Tomb Robber's narrow eyes squinted even more in suspicion- and then, to my surprise, the smirk disappeared from his face and he frowned seriously. "Yami…" he began, and my eyes widened in shock. He was actually using my _name_?

"Hey Bakura, it's time to go," Ryou called, interrupting him. Immediately the smirk spread across Bakura's face again and he ambled over to Ryou, dropping a quick kiss on the boy's lips, without giving me a second glance. Then the two strode from the game shop (Ryou giggling as Bakura murmured something in his ear), leaving me pale and wide-eyed on the sofa.

"Yami, you look terrible!" Anzu suddenly cried, tearing me from my thoughts. I scowled (I was getting really tired of everyone saying that) but she immediately began fussing over me, forcing me to lie down on the couch and resting the back of her hand across my forehead, clucking disapprovingly. "Oh, you're so clammy! Yugi, go get a thermometer! I'll make Yami some chicken soup. Jou, you and Honda…" But they had already disappeared, leaving me at Anzu's mercy.

I groaned loudly.

I finally convinced Anzu to leave around ten o'clock that night after I promised her (while Yugi snickered behind Anzu's back) that I would 'get my rest.' Keeping true to my word, I immediately went upstairs and lay down, closing my eyes and listening to the house settling around me as Yugi and Jiichan prepared for bed as well. But sleep evaded me, perhaps because every time I nearly drifted off I remembered my dream from that afternoon; so eventually I gave up and trudged downstairs to watch television.

Stretching out across the sofa, I turned on the most boring show I could find (an infomercial about bagless vacuum cleaners) in the hopes that the steady drone would lull me to sleep. Still, however, my mind refused to shut down, so I decided to go for a walk.

That was quickly becoming a habit of mine.

I didn't bother getting dressed, instead throwing on a jacket over my T-shirt and slipping on boots under my navy blue pajama pants; and, grabbing my keys, I stepped out into the dark, quiet street. The sudden overwhelming silence unnerved me a little (I had left the television on and its drone followed me out the door) but I kept walking along the deserted sidewalk, breathing in the chill air and trying to force my body to relax.

After I had walked two or three blocks along the sidewalk, I paused at a street corner, resting briefly against a fizzling sodium street lamp. I closed my eyes, finally beginning to feel tired, and listened to the sizzle and pop of the sodium lamp, the only sound on the empty streets. A wash of weariness settled through my arms and legs, causing me to lean more heavily on the lamp. "I really should head home," I murmured. But I didn't move.

Just then the roaring sound of a car engine going at full speed echoed through the streets and I opened my eyes in slight surprise. The car skidded to a halt beside me, sending up fumes of exhaust and the smell of burning rubber as the driver rolled down his window.

It was Kaiba.

"Get in the car now," he snapped.

"What? Kaiba, what's going on?" I protested, taking a step backward in surprise.

"Just do what I say!"

I narrowed my eyes- I may have been attracted to Kaiba but that didn't mean I would put up with that. So I started walking again, away from the game shop, without bothering to answer him. Kaiba swore under his breath and kept up with me in his car for another block or so before he eventually muttered, "Yugi. Please."

At that, I finally paused and looked at him. A vertical line creased between his eyebrows, the only sign of worry on his impassive face- but it was enough. I nodded and walked to the passenger's side of the black Ferrari, and when Kaiba opened the door I climbed in and sat in the seat beside him, pulling on my seatbelt as he drove away. Kaiba turned around at the next corner while I watched him from the corner of my eye. This was the closest I'd been to him since I got my own body - his hand was barely six inches away, resting on the gear shift between our seats. So close…

The car pulled to a stop, jerking me from my thoughts even as my hand started twitching closer to Seto's. "Goodbye," Kaiba said shortly, not looking at me. I furrowed my brow in confusion before glancing out the window. We had stopped back in front of the game shop.

"Kaiba, _what_ was the point of this?" I groaned, disappointment sinking into my chest. I had hoped…well, I don't know what I had hoped for; but usually people don't pick you up from the side of the road in the middle of the night only to drive you two blocks and leave. I think.

He didn't answer (or look at me), so after a moment I sighed and began to climb from the car; but as soon as I opened the door he grabbed my hand. We both froze - and I gradually turned my head and stared at the warm, slender fingers desperately gripping mine. That staticky tingle spread through me once again, this time starting with my fingers, until my entire body felt like it was buzzing with electricity.

Kaiba slowly let go of my hand and I met his eyes, which now held an expression I couldn't name. My breath hitched. "Just stay inside," he muttered.

I nodded rather dazedly and climbed from the car, my legs wobbling shakily as I unlocked the game shop door. Kaiba waited until I was inside and had hung my jacket on the coat rack by the door before he drove away, and as I watched his black car merge with the inky sky, I vaguely registered the words coming from the television across the room.

"…Breaking news… A drive-by shooting has just occurred in downtown Domino, not three blocks from a local children's game store, leaving three dead and several wounded. Police are investigating…"

My heart gave a great, loud thump and I barely made it to the sofa before my trembling limbs collapsed beneath me.

* * *

_Dawn crept over the palace walls, shining into my eyes and waking me from my ungraceful sprawl across my desk. I yawned widely as I lifted my head and pried a sticky sheet of papyrus from my cheek. "Not the best choice for a pillow," I muttered, and shaking the sleep from my eyes, I focused once again on the legal documents I'd spent all night poring over._

_I sighed. Even now, with Seto to help me, I still got bogged down with paperwork - between my lessons and sessions at court, there was little time for me to attend to the other duties of a proper Pharaoh, let alone enjoy myself. Of course, I did enjoy my work more when Seto was working with me…_

_My newest priest and I had become fast friends, spending hours together in court and going through the tedious business reports of my scribes (well, at least I thought they were tedious. Seto seemed to love poring over the meticulous hieroglyphs); and though we both had other responsibilities, we still managed to find a spare moment here and there to relax and merely enjoy each other's company._

_I idly ran my fingers along the grooves of the heavy Sennen Puzzle around my neck as I thought of Seto. He was unlike any of the other priests- or anyone I had ever known, for that matter. Seto came from a small country village, though he was the son of nobles, and after his father's death he had been raised among poor, simple villagers until his brilliance and magical abilities were discovered and he was brought to the palace. Every day I thanked Ra for bringing him to me - it was as if I'd discovered a lost piece of my soul the first time I looked into his eyes; when he said my name that first day…_

_My cheeks heated and I quickly returned my attention to the papers. Perhaps I was a little too attached to my friend; I seemed to think about his brilliant smile and lean yet muscular figure more than I should… But, I successfully hid my growing attraction, since I knew Seto didn't return my feelings, and I could never bear to lose the chance to be near him, even if just as a friend._

_But I still longed to hold him; to kiss him just once…_

_I frowned, glaring at the papers. "It'll never happen, Yami. Don't waste your time wishing for it," I muttered to myself, fighting the prickling at the backs of my eyes._

_The door burst open with a resounding bang and I nearly fell out of my chair in shock. Seto stood hunched over in the doorway, holding his chest and gasping for air. His robes hung askew, revealing one bare, tanned shoulder; and he was missing his purple sash and matching headdress. The thick brown hair that I had only caught mere glimpses of over the past few weeks stuck up all over his head and hung in his eyes._

"_Yami…" he panted, still gasping for air. He must have run all the way across the palace._

"_Seto? What's wrong?" I asked worriedly, rising from my seat, though my heart leapt at the use of my name- he hadn't dared to use it since his slip that first day, though I had often asked him to._

"_Get out," he snapped._

"_What!" I cried, my Pharaoh's pride bubbling to the surface. How dare a subordinate speak to me in such a manner! "Seto, I demand that you…" I began furiously, but broke off when he stalked across the room and grabbed me harshly by the upper arm, dragging me toward the door._

"_Get out, get out!" he snapped again, his bright eyes flashing dangerously. In my utter shock and disbelief, I let Seto drag me from the room as I stared at him in wonder. He hurriedly slammed the door shut behind us and attempted to drag me further away, but this time I stood my ground, planting my feet firmly on the floor._

"_Seto, you WILL tell me what you're doing, right now!" I ordered, straightening to my full height and giving him my most menacing crimson glare. He frowned worriedly and opened his mouth to explain, but just then a resounding crash sounded from the room behind us. "What was…mmph!"_

_Seto put his hand over my mouth to silence me, and when I tried to pull away he grabbed me tighter and yanked me close against him, drawing me close to his chest so that his back was to the door. He slipped one hand around my back and slid the other into my spiky hair, pressing my face close against his robes. Crashes and thuds continued emanating from the room behind us, but all I could hear was the frantic thumping of Seto's heart directly beneath my ear._

_I hesitantly wrapped my arms around his waist._

_Eventually the crashes stopped, but Seto held me for a minute or so longer- not that I minded. Just as I was memorizing the warmth of his body against mine, he let go and gently pushed me an arm's length away. "I had a vision," he murmured softly._

_Not meeting his eyes, I nodded silently and pushed open the door behind him. A deadly sharp knife jutted from the table where my head had rested minutes before._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Bye, Yami, I'm going to school!" Yugi called as he ran out the door, buttoning his coat, snapping me from my doze on the sofa. The television still droned beside me, a pretty red-headed reporter giving an account of the shooting from the night before, and I glued my still-sleep-filled eyes to the screen as an image appeared of the street lamp where Kaiba had found me.

It was riddled with bullet holes.

As the reporter continued speaking, my eyes widened in shock and my hands began to shake; I felt as if all my joints had suddenly turned to jelly. Apparently I had been standing in front of the hideout for one of the most prominent drug traffickers in the city, and one of his rivals had attacked the place mere minutes after Kaiba picked me up.

Kaiba saved my life.

But how did he know?

* * *

"_I had a vision," he murmured softly._

_Not meeting his eyes, I nodded silently and pushed open the door behind him. A deadly sharp knife jutted from the table where my head had rested minutes before. My breath hitched audibly as I slowly glanced around the room- the only thing remaining upright was the heavy wooden table; everything else had been overturned or destroyed. The chairs lay in pieces on the floor; the hand-painted vases ornamenting the walls had been shattered; long knife-marks scratched across every wall; and all my papers lay scattered and shredded along the floor._

_Seto strode to the table and pulled out the knife with a slight grunt. "Yami, come look at this," he murmured._

_I smiled slightly in spite of my pounding heart, happy that he hadn't regressed to calling me 'Pharaoh' again. Silently I approached Seto, resting a hand on his arm as I leaned over him to inspect the table- and gasped at what I saw. A message had been roughly scratched into its surface._

"_The Shadows will consume the King of Egypt."

* * *

_

"Thank you for calling KaibaCorp, how may I help you?"

"Yes, I need to speak to Seto Kaiba, please," I told the perky receptionist.

"I'm sorry, sir. Mr. Kaiba doesn't speak to customers over the phone. If you're having trouble with your duel disk system, I can transfer you to our customer service line," she replied cheerily.

"I'm not a customer!" I retorted sourly. "Kaiba is…a friend of mine. I need to speak with him."

A slight pause.

"Your name, sir?" she asked, sounding slightly more wary.

"Yami Mutou."

I heard the rustling of papers as the receptionist muttered my name under her breath. "Mutou…Mutou… I'm sorry, sir, your name's not on the list. I have callers on other lines that I need to speak with now, but I'll transfer you to customer service. They should be able to fix your problem," she told me, her overly chipper tone returning.

"What list? I don't have a problem," I protested, but all I heard was soft music as she put me on hold.

"KaibaCorp customer service, how may I help you?" a man's voice broke in after a minute or so of 1980's love songs.

"I need to speak with Kaiba," I spat slowly through gritted teeth.

"Hold please, and I'll transfer you to his receptionist," the man replied in a bored tone.

After nearly five full minutes of annoying music, someone _finally_ answered.

"Thank you for calling KaibaCorp, how may I help you?" said the first woman I'd spoken to.

* * *

Jiichan didn't sweep the sidewalk that day, because it rained. After several failed attempts to reach Kaiba, I finally gave up in frustration and escaped to my room. I sat by the window for a few minutes, listening to the dreary hiss of water against the pavement and watching the fallen rain curl into thick puddles and slide into the sewer drains on the side of the road. Cars whizzed by, some leaving rainbow-tinted oil stains on the puddles as I silently observed them, feeling my fingers start to twitch. 

I hated this.

I hated this so much - this forced inactivity, this inability to do _anything_. Even when I had a problem to work out, like now, all I did was sit in my room and stare at the rain. And it had been this way ever since I got a body of my own - the days had become so tedious and pointless; and all I ever seemed to do was wait around for Yugi-tachi to come and tell me stories about a life that I never fit into anyway. Until two days ago, that is, when I went out on my own. I finally did something for myself, by myself…and I found Kaiba.

It felt oddly like destiny.

I contemplated this for a moment, watching the swirling gray clouds lazily spit rain onto the grimy streets; until, coming to a decision, I nodded to myself and slipped into my black coat and red scarf. If it _had_ been destiny for me to find Kaiba, I couldn't give up and just sit, staring out the window, after he'd saved my life. I needed to know how; why; even if Kaiba could somehow sense things, like my former priest, he definitely didn't seem like the type to believe his visions. And, even if he did believe them, why would he bother to save _me_? We weren't exactly friends.

As I called goodbye to Jiichan and hurried out the door, bowing my head against the drizzling rain, I felt a sudden, tiny hope stir in my heart. Could Kaiba possibly… maybe… feel something for me? My hand throbbed in remembrance of his desperate grip and a vision of that anxious line between his startlingly blue eyes flashed through my mind.

He was worried about me, at least.

The thought made a stupid, dreamy grin cross my face as I imagined all the things this might mean - but just when I'd gotten to the part where Kaiba professed his undying love and we started kissing passionately, an engine sputtered to a halt beside me, skidding through a puddle and kicking up spray all over me. Angrily I spit muddy water from my mouth and shoved my drenched bangs from my face as I turned to glare at the offending person (though a part of me hoped it was Kaiba).

Instead, I saw Bakura, dressed from head to toe in black leather, propped lazily on a motorcycle and smirking at me. His long white hair hung down his back, slightly frizzy from the light rain. He didn't wear a helmet. "Out for _coffee_ again, Pharaoh?" Bakura sneered.

I just sighed and decided to ignore him. I needed to see Kaiba, and I didn't want to waste my time talking to a thief who only wanted to make my life more miserable than it already was. So, swiping an arm across my face once more to get rid of all the muddy water, I merely frowned at Bakura and kept walking down the sidewalk. "You'd think you'd learn your lesson, after last night," Bakura called to my back.

My steps faltered. How did _he_ know about last night?

"I mean, people get shot two blocks from your house and you still go walking alone," he continued in his typical drawl.

Oh. So he'd heard the news. For a moment I thought he meant…

"So, are you on your way to talk to the priest?"

I whirled in astonishment as the smirk widened on the thief's pale face. What in the world was going on with Bakura lately? Ever since he'd gotten a body of his own he'd been acting strangely - first he starts a relationship with Ryou just _hours_ after he escaped the Sennen Ring, and now…

Now he seemed to know _everything_.

Bakura snickered mockingly at my wide-eyed expression and made a vague gesture toward his motorcycle. "I can give you a ride," he offered neutrally.

I stared at him for a moment longer, but he didn't seem to be joking, so I hesitantly approached the motorbike and climbed on behind him, trying to touch him as little as possible. The tomb robber snickered menacingly once again and revved up the engine as noisily as possible; then took off at top speed, causing me to clutch desperately at his jacket. I squeezed my eyelids tightly shut as the buildings whizzed past us at full speed and tried to ignore Bakura's obvious vindictive glee at my discomfort. After a moment, determined not to let the thief get the better of me, I sat up straighter and stared directly ahead at the whizzing buildings, feeling a buzz of anticipation begin to grow from somewhere in the pit of my stomach.

This _was_ the quickest way to Kaiba, after all.

* * *

"_Shimon, I am not a child!" I snapped. "I don't need someone with me at ALL times! I think I'll go insane! Surely the guards I have now will be fine."_

_My advisor hung his head, beaten but obviously not pacified. Ever since the attack almost a week before, the palace guards had combed the area in search of the attacker, while my priests attempted to use their magic to locate him and decipher the meaning of his message. Nothing had worked; though Seto, especially, wore himself to the point of exhaustion trying to solve the riddle. I eventually had to order him to stop._

_Now, however, since they had stopped focusing on the riddle, they began wasting all my hours in court petitioning for me to have more 'protection.' Shimon, my advisor, as well as Mahado, the priest of the Sennen Ring, were both especially adamant about appointing more people to keep me safe. But I couldn't bear the thought of having three or four bodyguards trail me every second of the day - the few moments of private time I had now were too precious._

_Plus, I was a little afraid that with the guards around Seto wouldn't want to come see me anymore._

_As Shimon reluctantly stepped back into his position near the throne, Seto stepped forward, his head bowed slightly in respect- though that was the only sign of submission in his proud, confident stance. "My Pharaoh, might I suggest something?" he murmured, glancing up to meet my eyes, though he kept his head bowed._

"_Yes, Seto? What is it?" I replied, giving him a friendly smile. The edges of his lips quirked upward as he almost gave me a brief smile in return - but Shimon made a disapproving noise, mumbling something about disrespect, and Seto's face quickly returned to its passivity. _

"_Well, I think that merely increasing security on the grounds should suffice. After all, the attacker had to scale the palace wall to break in your window. If we have more guards patrolling the area, he shouldn't be able to get past them again."_

_I beamed proudly (though Shimon made another clucking noise at my expression). Seto was brilliant! "That sounds absolutely perfect, Seto. Mahado, you're in charge of appointing more guards," I said as Seto retreated to his position standing with the other priests. With that, I clapped my hands and rose, signaling the end of the court session, and hurried to my rooms to hopefully take a nap and end my pounding headache._

_Shimon had _really_ gotten on my nerves today._

_When I made it to my rooms, however, an enticing breeze floated in through the sheer curtains leading to my veranda, so I stepped out onto the balcony to take in a few breaths of fresh air. I leaned casually against the intricately carved stone terrace, soaking in the sight of my lush courtyards, blooming with desert flowers, as I reviewed the day's court session in my mind. Shimon could really be meddlesome- he seemed to think that just because I was sitting on my throne I couldn't even smile at my friend! And I had barely begun to convince Seto to relax around me, too._

_I sighed and buried my face in the palms of my hands. Maybe Shimon was right to disapprove, since I wasn't really 'smiling at a friend.' I wanted Seto. I wanted to kiss him; to taste that soft, tanned skin and run my fingers through his wonderful dark hair. Every night since he saved me I dreamed of those arms wrapped around me, holding me close to a warm chest and a frantically pounding heart…_

_A knock sounded at the door to my chamber. "Come in," I muttered, not moving my hands from my face. The person stepped into the room and shut the door before silently approaching the veranda - I heard footsteps advance and stop directly beside me before I finally dropped my hands._

_Seto stared at me with a quirked eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips._

"_You should really be more careful. I could have been anyone, and you didn't even look up," he chastised teasingly._

"_Well, it's your job to protect me anyway," I replied with a smile._

_He gave me a funny look and was about to reply when a thick lock of hair slipped from under his headdress and fell in his eyes. Seto frowned and pushed it back under the purple garment, but the lock of hair just slid back into his face. I snickered. Seto rolled his eyes at me and finally just pulled off his headdress, resting it on the balcony rail as he ran his fingers through his thick brown hair. "I need to have it trimmed," he shrugged._

_I watched admiringly as Seto absentmindedly raked long, slender fingers through those thick brown locks while he told me something about the reports we'd gone through the day before. After a moment he paused in his speech, obviously expecting a reply, but I hadn't been listening. A loud buzzing sound filled my ears I blatantly stared at the brunet. Seto was just so perfect - so tall and slim, yet still muscular. His long, white robes clung to his lean form, outlining long, muscular legs, and his purple sash accentuated his narrow waist. How I would love to wrap my arms around that waist, just once more. I could still recall perfectly how it felt to hold him…_

_Seto glanced at me curiously, still waiting for an answer to whatever he'd said._

"_Yami?"_

_The buzzing stopped._

"_Seto, did I ever thank you for saving my life the other day?" I asked abruptly. Seto blinked slowly, clearly surprised by my sudden question, but he gave me a sarcastic grin._

"_Of course. Several times. But you really don't need to…"_

_I lifted a hand to silence him and stepped closer, staring into his bright cerulean eyes. I tilted my chin upward, almost near enough to feel the gusts of air from his breath, and smiled softly as I shook my head. "I do. Thank you so much, Seto. I don't know what I'd do without you," I murmured._

_He was so close… Ra, I wanted to kiss him so badly… and it would be so simple just to stand on my tiptoes and close that last, painful bit of space between our lips. So simple. So easy. I could do it._

_But, just as I summoned my courage and began to lean closer, Seto shifted awkwardly and turned his head. "I should go," he murmured; and, grabbing his headdress, he shoved aside the sheer curtains and stalked rapidly away._

_I gaped after him for a long moment before I sighed and trudged to my bed, deciding to take that nap after all.

* * *

_

"We're here. Now get off," Bakura snapped, jerking me from my reverie. The memories of my past were coming quicker and more detailed every day- and all of them involved Kaiba somehow.

Or, more specifically, my obsession with Kaiba.

I climbed off the back of the motorcycle as I wonderingly observed the structure before me. The KaibaCorp office stretched high in the sky, towering over all the other buildings on the street, and the few rays of sunlight that escaped from the heavy gray clouds glinted on the thousands of plates of glass making up the sides of the building. Kaiba's office would be on the very top floor, no doubt.

The sound of a revving engine made me turn in surprise; and I gaped, shocked, as Bakura sped away on his motorcycle, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the sidewalk. "That jerk," I muttered, though I supposed I shouldn't really be surprised. He'd already done more for me than I ever thought he would by bringing me here in the first place.

Gulping, I pushed angry thoughts of the thief's abandonment from my mind and turned back toward the KaibaCorp building. I strode through the plate glass doors with every ounce of my usual pride and determination, though my heart pounded wildly at the thought of seeing Kaiba - not to mention confronting him. But I had to know why he saved me; I had to know how he felt about me…

If I could ever summon the courage to ask, anyway.

My boots clicked against the white tile floor as I strode across the spacious, echoing lobby, but a burly, uniformed guard stopped me before I could reach the elevators at the back of the room. "All visitors must check in at the front desk," he told me in a bored monotone.

I nodded politely and retreated to the circular desk in the center of the room, where a young, redheaded woman sat lazily filing her nails. I prayed it wasn't the same woman I'd talked to on the phone. "How may I help you, sir?" she asked, not looking up from her inspection of her fingernails.

"I need to speak with Kaiba."

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked, turning to her computer.

"No, but I…"

"I'm sorry, sir, but you have to have an appointment in order to see Mr. Kaiba. He's a very busy man."

"I…I'm on the list," I lied, remembering what the woman had said on the phone earlier.

She reached for a clipboard. "Name?"

"Yami Mutou," I replied, my heart sinking. This would never work.

"No, I'm sorry, I don't see you," she said slowly, scanning the list.

I blinked as a thought suddenly occurred to me. Maybe…

"It might be under _Yugi_ Mutou," I muttered, scowling.

She beamed. "Oh, yes, there you are, sir! Go right up," she chirped.

* * *

The elevator chimed as it reached the top floor of the KaibaCorp building and I slowly stepped out its doors. My legs shook dangerously as I took the last few steps toward the door to Kaiba's office, but I took a deep breath and forced my pounding heart to calm. I was just talking to Kaiba, and I'd done that thousands of times. This was nothing new. 

Slightly reassured by this bald-faced lie, I lifted a hand and knocked soundly on the thick oak door.

"Come in," Kaiba said.


	4. Chapter 4

New chapter! Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I love you all:hugs:

**Warning:** This chapter has some lemon, a.k.a. sexual content. It's just a little lemon, though, so I think you kiddies should be okay... Anyway, consider yourself warned.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 4

Kaiba's office doors creaked slightly as I pushed them open and hesitantly stepped inside. The CEO sat at an enormous mahogany desk, staring pensively at a computer screen, and the monitor's blue glow lit up his pale features and made his cerulean eyes stand out even more brightly. He didn't look up when I came in.

I stood just inside the doors for a long moment, feeling more and more awkward with each passing second as Kaiba continued to watch his computer screen and ignore me. Eventually I shifted and coughed slightly, just to make sure that he knew I was there. Kaiba glanced up. "Well, what do you want, Yugi?" he drawled neutrally.

Slightly thrown off by his lack of reaction, I stood there a moment longer, just staring into his overly-bright blue eyes, before I finally replied. "I wanted to know why you saved me," I answered honestly.

Kaiba sighed and looked away, thoughtfully running his fingers through his thick brown hair. "_Why_? Not how?" he eventually asked, so low I could barely make out the words. He gave me a sidelong glance and I nodded silently, but Kaiba didn't answer right away. Instead, he rose from his seat, continuing to run his hands distractedly through his hair, and approached the thick plate-glass windows lining one wall of his office from floor to ceiling. He stared out over the city for what seemed like ages, still not speaking.

I frowned in confusion as I watched him. Kaiba seemed nervous - unlike I'd ever seen him act before. Could I have been right? Maybe… possibly… could he feel something for me? Or was it merely wishful thinking? But then, there had been that strange look in his eyes when he told me to stay inside…

Well, there was only one way to find out.

I sidled up to Kaiba as he stood there observing the city. Pretending to gaze out the windows as well, I watched him from the corner of my eye. He had finally stopped raking his hands through his hair, but the grooves from his fingers still lingered in the thick brown locks. He had his face slightly turned from me, so I couldn't see the expression in his eyes, but I could tell from the way his arms were tightly crossed across his chest, fingers buried in the folds of his white trench coat, that he was still uneasy. I took a deep breath and scooted slightly closer.

"Kaiba?"

"Hn," he grunted.

"Why did you save me?" I asked again.

"I couldn't just let you die," he answered stiffly.

"Why not?" I pressed hopefully. In my eagerness I stepped even closer to the slim brunet, carefully scanning his studiously neutral face - though he kept his eyes turned away.

"I'm not _that_ heartless," he snapped. "Why do you even care about why I did it? I expected you to ask…"

Kaiba broke off suddenly, his neutral expression flickering into something else- though it was too quick for me to determine exactly what. He glanced sideways at me for a millisecond before staring straight ahead once more. I smiled. "How you knew?" I asked quietly.

His eyes flicked back to me for a quick second and he tightened the arms drawn across his chest.

"Kaiba." I moved even closer, to the point of invading his personal space, and touched his arm gently. "Kaiba, look at me."

I wouldn't even ask how he knew I was at that street corner, or that I was in danger. Frankly, I'd decided that I didn't really care. As my former priest, Seto had had visions, so maybe Kaiba could, too - but it didn't matter to me whether Kaiba had seen my gory, violent death in a dream, if he had security cameras installed all over the city, or if he merely had contacts who informed him of the shootout before it happened. I was more concerned with the fact that he cared enough to try to protect me.

Kaiba slowly lowered his arms and half-turned toward me, meeting my eyes with the same cautiously neutral expression he'd worn since I arrived. "Kaiba, I don't care how… I just wanted to know… to know…"

I lost whatever I'd been trying to say as I stood there, still gripping his arm, and stared into his cool blue eyes. He was so close… Suddenly I felt hot all over and the hand touching Kaiba's arm burned fiercely, but I couldn't let go. Instead, I inched even closer, tilting my chin up - as Kaiba's face somehow, miraculously, tilted down toward mine. Our lips met in a soft, slow union; a mere gentle pressure, but my skin burned even hotter with the added contact. A wave of dizziness swept through my limbs.

My legs wobbled and I clutched at Kaiba for support, wrapping both arms around his neck and melding my body to his chest. His tongue flicked at my teeth and I opened my mouth readily, sucking lightly on his tongue as soon as it slipped through my lips. Kaiba moaned and slid his hands to my face, lightly gripping my cheeks as the kiss grew more urgent - but then, while our tongues slid wildly past each other, his hands slipped lower and lower along my sides until they tugged frantically at my belt.

I gasped and broke the kiss, taking a step back. "Kaiba…" I began, eyeing his flushed face and mussed brown hair. His coat had somehow disappeared, and he stared at me, his eyes glazed over in a way that made my heart clench and heat pool in the pit of my stomach. Then suddenly he attacked me, catching my lips in another heated kiss, and any further thoughts of protest were swept from my mind. A strange haze descended over my eyes and I couldn't think – I could barely even breathe – and all I knew was Kaiba; his hands, that silky hair, those lust-clouded blue eyes, and his soft lips, kissing and caressing me until my skin burned and I cried out.

Through the haze I saw that I now lay on my back on a suede couch, somewhere in a corner of Kaiba's office. My coat and most of my other garments were strewn haphazardly along the floor, though somehow the red scarf remained inexplicably twined around my neck. And Kaiba was on top of me. He was still fully clothed, except for the white trench coat, though his tight black pants were unfastened; but when I tried to tug them down he leaned over me and just kept _kissing_ and _touching_, raising goosebumps all over my body with every brush of his slender fingers, until all I could do was moan and shiver under him.

And then he was inside me.

I screamed, but Kaiba caught my lips in a reassuring kiss, muffling the sound, as he moved inside me. It hurt – it hurt so badly – but Kaiba's kiss comforted me, so I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to respond; until eventually the pain lessened and I forgot it entirely, instead swept away by the waves of heat that grew stronger with every motion, tightening and intensifying every second. I screamed again, though this time from sheer bliss, as Kaiba's gentle hand touched me once more and the heat exploded in a sudden release that made white sparks shoot through my vision.

A few seconds later I felt Kaiba shudder with his own release, and he collapsed on top of me, breathless and shaking. He rested his head on my chest for a moment, closing his eyes, and wrapped his arms around my waist, his fingers kneading the skin of my bare back. I could feel the furious pounding of his heart against my chest and my own heart thumped harder at the sensation. How did Kaiba do this to me? Every touch, even every glimpse of him made me crazy; stirred up the most indescribable emotions, until even I couldn't predict how I would react.

I sighed softly and stroked his hair as he rested quietly against my chest. Closing my own eyes, I relaxed and propped my head on the sofa's armrest, murmuring his name under my breath. "Kaiba… Seto…"

He tensed. Then quickly he let go of me and backed away from the couch, fastening his pants and adjusting his belt, without looking me in the eyes. Kaiba turned and picked up his coat; then, slipping it on over his black clothes, rushed to the door of his office. "You should get dressed. I'll call you a cab," he muttered, and left.

* * *

_With a sigh I turned over the last of the thick papyrus sheets. Seto hadn't come. I hadn't seen him outside of court for almost two weeks now, and once again I struggled through my scribes' reports without his economic genius to help me, spending long, lonely hours merely trying to understand the situations laid out in the careful hieroglyphs. A glance out the window at the black night told me it was well past midnight, as the moon had passed its peak in the sky and descended toward the eastern horizon. Yet, though my eyes burned with weariness and my limbs felt heavy, my heart twisted fearfully at the thought of sleep._

_I would just dream of him again._

_So, I decided to go for a walk in my gardens, hoping that the sight of the lush, exotic flowers would at least offer some rest to my anxious mind. I stalked at full speed past the guards (who bowed reverently as I approached), keeping up my frenzied pace until I reached the sanctuary of the gardens and sank drearily onto a stone bench overlooking a patch of lotus blossoms. _

_I scared him away. That was the only explanation for it; but I just couldn't help myself- I wanted him so badly… For a moment, though, a brief second, I had thought Seto would let me kiss him - would kiss me back. I knew he felt it; felt that tingle in the air whenever we were together that spoke of something stronger under the surface, more than just friendship._

_Of course, that was probably why he never came around anymore._

_My throat burned painfully and I buried my face in the palms of my hands, my long blonde bangs brushing against the backs of my fingers as I desperately rubbed my eyes to keep the tears away. I had known this would happen. Seto never really showed any interest in me beyond friendship, and I _knew_ that if I ever offered anything more he would run. But I had anyway; keeping everything inside had just been too hard, and I couldn't pretend anymore._

_I loved him._

_With that thought, the tears flowed freely down my cheeks in spite of my efforts. I loved Seto… He was my best friend, my only friend; the only person proud and brave enough not to feel intimidated by me, since I was the pharaoh. He was brilliant, talented… and absolutely gorgeous. But he didn't want me - not like that._

_I quit trying to stop the tears, instead wrapping my arms tightly around myself as wracking sobs shook my whole body and my breath burst in ragged gasps from my throat. Seto didn't want me. He wouldn't talk to me. We weren't even friends anymore. I had barely, barely even gotten to know him, barely gotten a tiny glimpse of life with him by my side before I drove him away…_

_The tears flowed slower now, my desperate sobs diminishing into intermittent, painful hiccups as I stared unseeingly at the patch of flowers at my feet. "Maybe I could talk to him," I murmured to no one. "Maybe… If I could just _talk_ to him, it wouldn't be as hard."_

_A dull ache settled somewhere in my chest. But the hiccups stopped. Perhaps I _could_ try being friends with Seto again- if I approached him, he surely wouldn't reject me (I hoped), and I would at least be able to see him, even if he could never love me. It wouldn't be enough - it would never be enough – but at least it would be something._

"_Friends," I sighed, wiping the tear tracks from my wet face. "Friends."_

_A slight sound behind me drew my attention and I turned, still trying to compose myself - and gasped in shock at what I saw.

* * *

_

"Yami, are you alright in there?"

Yugi knocked harder on the bathroom door when I didn't answer, but I just ignored him and sank lower into the tepid water, submerging my head until only the tip of my nose stuck out over the water in the bathtub. I closed my eyes and tried to forget about everything; tried to feel the water against my skin instead of constantly replaying the sensation of soft touches…soft kisses…

The door shook in its hinges as Yugi kept pounding. "Yami, you've been in there over an hour! What are you doing?" Yugi called, ceasing his abuse of the door for a moment to rattle the locked doorknob.

"Taking a bath," I finally replied weakly, deciding that he wouldn't leave me alone until I answered him. I sat up and wrapped my arms around my knees, burying my face in the wet skin as tiny rivulets of water trickled from my damp hair along my back. The warm trails reminded me of warm fingers gently kneading my back…

I let out a choked sob.

"Yami, what's wrong? What happened to you?" Yugi cried in a high-pitched squeak.

"Nothing," I answered. I started to shake, so I plunged back into the lukewarm water to relax my shivering, aching muscles. It still hurt. I could still feel that burning soreness where he had been - the water wouldn't wash it away. Just like it wouldn't wash away his touch. _Why_ could I still feel his hands on me? Why did my lips still tingle from the memory of his mouth?

At least his scent was gone. My skin was raw and red from using nearly an entire bar of soap, but I couldn't smell him on me anymore…

I sat up, feeling faintly sick, and pulled the stopper from the drain. Pulling my knees up to my chest once more, I sat shivering as I watched the murky, cool water sink down the drain until I was left cold and damp in the empty bathtub. Still I continued to sit, staring at the drain. I couldn't bring myself to move enough to reach for a towel. Yugi had resumed rattling the doorknob, and I heard something metal clinking as he shook the lock, but I ignored him, just staring at the drain instead.

And seeing Kaiba.

Why did he leave like that? What did I do? One moment he was holding me and kissing me as if he could never bear to let me go; and the next he was running away without even saying goodbye. I had gone into his office to get some answers, but I had come out with a lot more questions. And a lot more heartache.

I tugged my knees closer to my chest and buried my face in them once more as another muffled sob escaped my lips; but just then the door sprung open. Yugi had finally managed to pry open the lock. I glanced up, teary-eyed, as Yugi leapt into the room wearing a triumphant expression and brandishing a screwdriver; though as soon as he caught sight of me his face fell and his enormous violet eyes shone with concern.

"Yami, what happened?" he asked gently.

I buried my face back in my knees.

A moment later I felt a thick, fluffy towel wrap around me and I looked up once again to see Yugi kneeling beside the bathtub, watching me worriedly. "Yami, please tell me what's wrong. I just want to help," he murmured.

I gripped the corners of the towel, tugging it tightly against me as I looked away, unable to hold his gaze. Maybe it _would_ help to talk to someone - maybe then I would feel something besides Kaiba's hands all over my body, and see something besides his lust-clouded cerulean eyes…

"I… He left," I answered slowly, still not looking at Yugi. "We had just…and I thought…but he just left…" Another sob lodged itself in my throat and tears pricked the backs of my eyes.

Yugi reached out and placed his hand gently over mine as I gripped the towel so tightly my knuckles whitened. "Yami, try to calm down. Who left?" he asked slowly.

"_Kaiba_," I spat bitterly, and the tears finally spilled from my eyes in hot angry trails. "I went to his office…and we… But afterwards he just ran out! The way he kissed me, though; I thought that maybe…"

Yugi yanked his hand away as suddenly as if I'd slapped him. "What! You and _Kaiba_?" he gasped, his eyes wide as saucers. "Yami, what…? _Why_?"

I turned and regarded him coolly, though tears kept sliding down my cheeks. "Because I think I'm in love with him," I answered.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, sorry for all the angst last chapter. Things will start looking up now; though we're not completely out of the woods yet... Anyhow, thanks for reviewing, everyone, and I hope you all enjoy the new chapter!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 5

The leaves were all gone now. Dead gray trunks stretched toward the cold sky, spreading out empty branches, devoid of even the last clinging brown husks, to tap mockingly on my window. I rested my forehead against the chilled glass with a sigh. Since my confession to Yugi a week before, my life had sunk back into the dull rut it had been before I saw Seto on the pier that day; and once again I sat bleakly in my room, staring out the window while Jiichan swept the sidewalk just below me.

Only now, of course, there were a few slight differences. I avoided Yugi-tachi- since I was unable to face Yugi's sympathetic, worried glances and Bakura's rude smirks –and instead of sitting at the window longing for a change, I sat trying to force away the memories of Seto – past and present – that flooded constantly through my mind.

But, despite my best efforts, Seto's handsome face lingered just behind my field of vision, and I kept remembering how my fingers slid through his baby-fine hair…and feeling the soft touch of phantom lips against my neck…

I buried my face in my hands as a hesitant knock sounded on the door. "Come in, Yugi," I muttered through my fingers.

As the door creaked open I straightened but trained my eyes on the window. I really didn't want to listen to anything else Yugi had to say. That day in the bathroom - after I managed to convince Yugi my feelings for Kaiba weren't some sick joke – Yugi had tried everything possible to change my mind, though nothing had worked, since by this time I was apparently completely obsessed with Seto.

"But Yami," Yugi had said, "where would you get the idea that you loved _Kaiba_? You two have always been rivals- he hates all of us!"

I had merely shrugged in reply. It was impossible for me to articulate my feelings, and I didn't even really understand them myself, anyway. All I knew was that there was some strange electricity around Kaiba – something happened when I was near him that drew me irresistibly, and I couldn't control myself. Even then, after he had deserted me, all I wanted was to be near him again…to look into his eyes…

Yugi had frowned deeply at my prolonged silence and tried coaxing me, lecturing me, anything he could think of- but nothing could make me take back my words, though a part of me truly wanted to. So Yugi had sighed and hugged me. "Alright, Yami. I'll support you," he whispered.

And he had. He had spent all of his free time the rest of the week talking to me, trying to convince me to go out with Yugi-tachi – and sitting with me by the window when I refused to go.

I knew I was wallowing in my depression, but for the first time in my life (what parts of it I could remember, anyway) I was truly lost; I had no idea what to do. I couldn't express how grateful I was that Yugi would be this understanding, but a part of me felt guilty for dragging him through my self-pity with me.

Which was why I faced the window now.

The person at the door cleared his throat and my eyes widened in surprise at the deep, husky sound, at least an octave below Yugi's gentle tenor. "Yami," the person greeted.

It sounded like…_Kaiba's_ voice.

I turned slowly, hardly daring to believe my ears. But it really was him – my striking, beautiful brunet, standing in the doorway. He wore a crisp blue shirt with a high collar that almost matched his eyes under a short black jacket (for once, no trench coat), and he stared at me with an almost-neutral expression, though the corners of his lips showed the slightest painful quirk. My stomach churned but I met his gaze coolly.

"What do you want, Kaiba?" I asked hoarsely. "And how did you even get in here?"

"The old man told me where you were. I said I needed to talk to you," he answered indifferently, just continuing to stare at me until I finally looked away. I glanced out the window again, noticing the black Ferrari parked on the curb. How had I missed it before? And where was Yugi?

"Yugi's probably at school right now, since it's 1:30 on a Thursday," Kaiba supplied dryly, and I realized I had voiced the last question aloud. I glanced in his direction once more – and a jolt of shock ran through me when I noticed he was sitting on the bed beside me.

I blinked. This thing with Kaiba was getting to me more than I'd known.

Seto stared at me again, and I wondered if he'd ever even stopped when I looked away. He moved in closer, resting his palms on the mattress on either side of my waist, _still_ staring at me with that baffling, unreadable expression, and I froze in complete shock as Kaiba leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. My eyes widened at the warm contact which seemed to spread from my lips all the way through my body until my ears buzzed and all my joints went limp and watery.

His skin smelled faintly of aftershave… I closed my eyes in bliss and let Seto lower me onto the bed, deepening the kiss as his palms stopped pressing against the mattress to fumble at my belt instead.

My eyes shot open. This was _not_ happening again.

"Stop it Kaiba!" I gasped, breaking away from his kiss and shoving him back – though I only managed to hold him an arm's length away, my hands pushing against his chest. He still stared at me.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded. "You were the one that ran out last time! What in the world is your problem, Kaiba?" My eyes filled with angry tears and he backed away slightly, a flicker of uncertainty passing over his face. Seto regarded me silently for a long moment as I sat up on the bed beside him, fighting to keep from crying. I still wanted him – I wanted him so badly that my chest ached with longing – but I couldn't just let this happen; I couldn't let him hurt me again.

One hot tear finally slipped down my cheek and Kaiba caught it before I could brush it away. He smoothed my cheek gently with the pad of his thumb, and in spite of myself I leaned into the touch, letting him cup my cheek in his warm palm as my eyes slid shut; and we stayed like that for a long moment, Kaiba slowly rubbing my cheek long after the tears were gone, until I sighed and started to move away.

"I'm sorry," Kaiba said abruptly.

"What?" I blinked slowly a few times and glanced at him.

"I'm sorry for leaving like that," he repeated. He didn't offer any other explanation, didn't say why he'd come back today, didn't say anything else at all – just left it at that and stared at me expectantly, waiting for my response.

I opened my mouth; then shut it again stupidly when I couldn't think of a reply. I wanted to scream at him, to tell him how much he'd hurt me; scared me; and demand that he give a good reason for running out right after we'd made love (if there _was _any good reason, that is), but all words had left me. My ears buzzed again as Seto's sentence played over and over again in my head.

At least he had apologized… Maybe this was what I had been hoping for; after all, what more could I really expect from Kaiba? Maybe…maybe it would be all right…maybe I could…

I leaned forward hesitantly and kissed him, savoring the slightly bitter tang of his lips; and this time, when Seto wrapped his arms around me and lowered me to the bed, I didn't try to argue.

* * *

_A slight sound behind me drew my attention and I turned, still trying to compose myself- and gasped in shock at what I saw. Half-hidden by the leafy shadows in the garden, a slim male a few inches taller than me leaned casually against the palace wall. Long white hair glinting faintly in the moonlight framed his tanned face, and a thin pink scar stretched under his right eye. He wore a plain robe the color of desert sand- perfect for concealment._

"_Who are you?" I demanded, straightening to my full height and giving the intruder my most frightening regal glare._

_He smirked wickedly and stepped closer, his narrow eyes glinting in amusement, but made no response. Then, just as I opened my mouth to shout for the guards, a sudden blackness fell over the garden, starting from where the intruder stood and spreading outward in a swift dark circle until I stood alone in a patch of moonlight, shrouded on all sides by thick shadows._

_A jolt of fear shot through my spine, but I fought to keep my face neutral as the shadows whirled around me and strange twisting shapes in the blackness loomed nearby, all of them inching closer as I scanned the darkness for the white-haired fiend. "Who are you? What do you want?" I shouted, gripping the Sennen Puzzle around my neck. I remembered Shimon saying that the Puzzle had some sort of power over shadows, but I couldn't remember what he had said…_

_More often than not I ignored Shimon._

_Mocking laughter was the only response that came from the shadows, until suddenly they converged around me and the world went black. Then, as I still frantically gripped the Puzzle and slowly backed toward what I thought was the entrance to the palace gardens, a sudden blinding pain ripped from my collarbone in a long gash all the way to the ligaments under my left arm. I screamed, as much from pent-up fear and horror as from the pain, and mocking laughter sounded once more in my ears as blood gushed down my chest._

_Cold fingers scrabbled at my neck, and I couldn't tell if they were after my Puzzle or merely trying to choke me to death. The morbid thought made me give a snort of dry laughter. _Merely_ trying to choke me to death?_

_At the sound, my attacker paused in surprise and I used the opportunity to shove him backward and scramble away; but by now I'd lost too much blood, so I had barely escaped his grasp before I tripped and fell back on the rocky ground. I tried to get up, but dizziness swept over my limbs and I sank back to the ground._

_As I lay there, panting in the dirt, I heard my attacker stumble toward me; but then, slowly, the shadows lifted until they were merely a thick gray haze and I could see the outline of the intruder – and, in the distance, another form, one with bright blue eyes, visible even in the haze... But then the world went dark once more, and all I was aware of was the hot trail of blood trickling down my stomach._

_So I surrendered to the blackness.

* * *

_

"Yugi will be home soon," I murmured, watching Seto trace lazy patterns along my throat with his kiss-swollen lips.

"So?" he mumbled against my neck, not even glancing up. I smiled and relaxed against the pillows, stroking the thick brown head of hair as it moved down my throat to my collarbone. Seto was probably right. What harm would it do for Yugi to see us, anyway? He already knew how I felt about Kaiba.

I closed my eyes, soaking in the sensation of Seto's warm mouth on my skin and the feel of his strong, slim body pressed along my own as we lay tangled together on the bed. He had been here for over an hour now (though I wasn't really keeping careful track of the time), and he had actually gotten ready to leave a few minutes before, until he decided that he wasn't finished ravishing me.

Not that I minded.

I supposed I should still be angry with Kaiba – I don't think I've ever been as upset as I was when he left me like that, and ignored me for a week on top of everything; and he still hadn't offered any explanation. But yet…his mouth felt so good against my skin…and his body fit so perfectly along my side…

Seto slipped one hand under my shirt; teasingly tracing my stomach with the tips of his fingers and making goosebumps pop up under his touch, until he finally reached my nipples and tweaked one playfully. My breath hitched audibly and he laughed.

"Kaiba, stop teasing me!" I grumbled, though a stupid grin spread across my face anyway at the sight of him.

He kissed me quickly once more and tugged my shirt over my head with a wink. "Alright, then," he drawled in a tone that made my skin crawl. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him flush against my chest; then kissed him as passionately as I knew how, slowly exploring every inch of his mouth with my tongue, while my hands wandered lower down his sides to splay about his hips as he straddled me.

Seto moaned softly into my mouth and I caught an expression in his eyes that made my pulse quicken and the room's temperature rise several degrees. My hands slipped from his hips to his belt buckle… and I heard a sound at the door.

"Yami, I'm – _Kaiba_!" Yugi's voice rose into a shrill shriek as he bustled into the room and saw us on the bed.

Seto broke our kiss roughly and rolled off me so that we lay side-by-side on the bed, staring guiltily up at Yugi. "Yugi…er…" I began, unsure of what to say as I watched his face darken. "Kaiba came by…well, obviously…. But, um, well he and I…we…"

By this time, Yugi's wide violet eyes had narrowed into angry slits and he gazed at Seto with an expression of absolute fury on his sweet young face. He walked slowly to the foot of the bed, where Seto's jacket lay, and picked up the garment distastefully between his thumb and index finger. "What are you doing here, Kaiba?" Yugi asked quietly, staring at the jacket.

Seto glanced at me briefly and rose to his feet. "I think that's rather obvious," he drawled snidely, reaching for his jacket.

I winced.

Yugi jerked the coat from Kaiba's grasp and swung it roughly so that it smacked Kaiba hard in the side. "You jerk!" Yugi shouted, swinging the jacket again and hitting Kaiba in the head. "What in the world is your problem! How could you treat Yami that way! What do you think you're doing to him?"

Kaiba raised his arms against Yugi's repeated assault with the jacket and looked down at me for help. I merely shrugged, watching Kaiba with a bemused expression as Yugi continued hitting him and shouting at the top of his lungs.

Seto finally jerked the jacket from Yugi's hands and glared fiercely at the shorter boy. I could tell Seto desperately wanted to snap at him, but he restrained himself after one more quick glance at me out of the corner of his eye. My heart swelled.

"Goodbye, Yami," he muttered instead, bending down and kissing me softly on the lips before he stalked out of the room with Yugi following at his heels, still shouting.

I rushed to the window and watched until Seto walked up to the black Ferrari parked on the curb. As he opened the driver's side door he paused, glancing up, and noticed me standing in the window. I waved hesitantly and he immediately looked away – but as he climbed into his car I caught sight of his tiny, wistful smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Good news everyone! I got 100 reviews! Yay! I wasn't expecting to reach 100 yet, so as a treat I'm uploading the next chapter a day or so sooner than I'd planned. Here you go:gives chapter: lol anyway thanks so much for all your support. Keep those reviews coming! ...please?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 6

"…_don't understand how it happened!"_

"_Bakura…"_

"…_tomb robber! How could he have Shadow powers? He doesn't have one of the Sennen Items!"_

"_I don't know. Why am I able to see visions without the Tauk? The gods are mysterious."_

"_Don't give me that, Seto! I know you're just as upset and confused as I am – you're getting as bad as Isis!"_

"_I'm not pretending not to be upset, Mahado! I almost lost Yami just now! How do you think I would feel if…"_

"_What!"_

"_I… The pharaoh was almost assassinated! Of course I'm upset."_

_I blearily opened my eyes, wincing at the burning pain along my collarbone. I lay in my chambers, propped carefully among feather pillows on my bed, with strips of cloth, tinged slightly red in places, wound tightly around my chest and shoulder. Seto and Mahado stood near the hallway entrance exchanging glares. Mahado wore an expression of worried disbelief – but Seto just looked haggard. Faint purple circles colored the skin just below his eyes and his tanned face was several shades paler than normal._

"_I know you're worried, Seto, but you can't call him that," Mahado said quietly. "You know Shimon already suspects something between the two of you." He shook his head in a chastising sort of way._

"_Shimon is a meddling old fool," Seto snapped. _

"_We've all seen the way he looks at you," Mahado replied, even more quietly than before. "It was only more obvious when you tried to avoid him."_

_Seto turned his head, a slight flush coloring his cheeks, and my heart skipped a beat. Were they talking about me? Had I been that obvious? But, just then Seto spotted my open eyes and the blood drained from his face once more as he rushed to my side. "Yami! How are you feeling?" he asked worriedly, ignoring Mahado's grunt of disapproval. Seto gripped my hand and anxiously examined my face._

_I smiled; the burning pain in my shoulder forgotten as the warmth from his hand spread through my whole body and left a curious tingle where his fingers wrapped around mine. "I'm fine, Seto. What exactly happened?"_

_Seto exchanged a thoughtful glance with Mahado, who had approached the bed. "Your attacker… He must have had some sort of Shadow powers; he can shroud himself in darkness when he wants to hide. We think it was Bakura, the tomb robber Mahado's been after for a while now."_

"_You think? He got away, then?" I asked wearily, leaning back against the pillows and closing my eyes. The wound in my shoulder was starting to throb._

_After a second, however, my eyes popped open again in surprise. Seto had started gently rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb! I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks – but when I chanced a glance at him I saw that he was only moving his thumb in an absentminded sort of way while he exchanged yet another meaningful glance with Mahado. Seto probably didn't even know he was doing it. Disappointing… but I could still enjoy the sensation. I nodded to myself and relaxed against the pillows again, discreetly staring at our joined hands._

"_Yes, your Majesty," Mahado finally said. "When Seto found you injured, he was a little too… distracted… to chase after the thief."_

_Seto scowled. I stared at him in wonder, examining the guarded blue eyes under the heavy thatch of brown hair. "You found me? I thought I saw you…" I murmured._

_Seto finally met my eyes. "The Rod banished enough of the darkness for me to see you; but when I discovered you lying on the ground… hurt like that…" A shadow passed over his face and he grimaced slightly before he continued. "I forgot about Bakura in the rush to get you help."_

_I smiled gratefully at Seto, feeling a rush of warmth spread through me at his statement. So he did still care about me, at least as a friend, and he had stopped avoiding me, even though it had taken me being attacked to make him forget about my attempt to kiss him... But, this time I would have to be sure not to act like anything more than a friend; I would hide my affection well enough that not even Shimon would suspect anything._

_Seto's thumb kept stroking the back of my hand and I kept smiling, examining his face. His eyes really were a remarkable shade of blue…_

_Mahado cleared his throat. "Well, your Majesty, I'll go inform the others that you are awake. The healers might want to examine your wound."_

"_Yes, thank you, Mahado," I replied distractedly, barely noticing when he left the room. I was too busy eyeing Seto's soft, full lips. I wondered how they would feel pressed against mine…

* * *

_

"I mean, who does he think he is? How dare he treat you like that and expect you to just forgive him!"

I sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch. It looked like Yugi would be ranting for a while. Needless to say, he hadn't taken Seto's appearance this afternoon very well – though I could really understand Yugi's reaction; it was how I should have reacted, and I would have, if only Seto weren't just so… so… like… himself. A grin stretched across my cheeks as I remembered the way he had smiled when he left the game shop.

"WHY ARE YOU SMILING! THIS IS SERIOUS!"

I snapped out of my reverie and the grin quickly dropped off my face when I saw the glowering, red-faced teenager standing in front of me with clenched fists. Yugi glared menacingly – though I knew he was angry with Kaiba, not me, it was still a little unnerving – and crossed his arms across his chest, waiting for my response. I sighed. "Yugi, I already _did_ forgive Kaiba. I know there's no excuse for what he did, but he apologized, and…"

"Apologized! Yami, what is the matter with you? You've been acting crazy ever since you and Kaiba… God, I can't even say it. He's treating you like you're worthless and you don't even care! Don't you have any self-respect anymore?" Yugi's voice had lost its angry shrill; now he just sounded tired. He plopped beside me on the couch and gave me a long, searching glance. "Yami, I hate to say it, but what makes you think he even really cares about you? How do you know you're not just some new toy to amuse him until he gets bored with you and tosses you away?"

I laughed softly at this. "Yugi, we both know that Kaiba is nothing like that. He either goes after something wholeheartedly – obsessively – or he doesn't care about it at all. He wouldn't bother with a fling."

Besides, I had seen the look on his face when he saw me in the window. Seto cared.

Yugi seemed a little comforted by this statement, though he still frowned sulkily. "Still, that's no excuse for him to treat you like that. Does he even know how upset you were? He owes you way more than a stupid apology," Yugi muttered.

"I know," I sighed. Truthfully, I hoped Seto would explain things to me later – I forgave him, but I really wanted to know why he ran out of his office that day. Was it something I did? Did I upset him somehow?

Hmm… Maybe being with Seto really was affecting my self-esteem.

Yugi started to say something else but he was cut off when something hit the front door with a loud thump. We both sprang to our feet in surprise and whirled to face the glass door of the game shop as it shuddered open, hampered by the weight of two white-haired teenagers pressed against it while they pawed at each other. "Hey!" Yugi cried. "Stop that, you'll break the door!"

His only response was Ryou's muffled moan.

"Don't make me get Jiichan's broom!" Yugi threatened crossly, and Bakura finally broke away from the other boy, smirking proudly.

"Sorry, Yugi, Bakura just attacked me," Ryou muttered as he wiped his mouth, glaring at the tomb robber, but Bakura ignored him and turned his smug smirk in my direction. I eyed him warily and involuntarily rubbed my left shoulder, remembering my recent flashbacks concerning Bakura.

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, Pharaoh, are things going well with you and the priest?" he droned.

"A little _too_ well," Yugi muttered under his breath – but of course Bakura heard.

"_Really_?" he drawled, the smirk stealing across his face once more, and I fought a blush as Bakura stared at me for a moment before he added, "Good." Then, while I blinked in astonishment, my mind whirling furiously in an attempt to process this statement, he turned back to Ryou.

"Now where were we?"

* * *

I think Seto went a long way toward redeeming himself, at least as far as Yugi was concerned, when he called the next day instead of making me wait a week to hear from him again. About 5:00 that afternoon, I was downstairs helping Yugi clean up the living room when the phone rang. I absently answered as I dug bits of change, lint, and the odd food particles from the couch cushions.

"Hello?"

Pause. "Is this Yami?"

"Yes, who is this?" I replied somewhat breathlessly as I heaved a heavy cushion back into place and reached for another.

"It's Kaiba."

I dropped the cushion. "Oh! I'm sorry, Seto! I didn't recognize your voice!" I apologized, grinning broadly.

Yugi rolled his eyes.

"It's alright," Seto said. There was a long pause while I waited for him to say something else, but he stayed silent, until I almost began to wonder if he'd hung up.

"So… Did you want anything?" I finally ventured.

Another short pause. "To talk, I suppose."

"About what? Is something wrong?" I plopped onto the couch, narrowly missing Yugi's hands as he replaced the cushion I'd dropped, giving me a sarcastic glare.

"No…" Seto said.

The conversation lapsed into silence once more, but in spite of the awkwardness I couldn't fight the huge, jaw-cracking grin stuck across my cheeks when I realized that Seto had called me for no reason but to talk and without even a good excuse.

By this time Yugi was openly staring, warily eyeing my expression. "What did he say?" Yugi whispered.

"Nothing," I shrugged, still grinning joyfully, and fought a snigger at Yugi's bewildered face.

"So, do you want to come over?" I asked Seto.

* * *

_After Mahado left, Seto still sat by my side, gently gripping my hand, though he didn't quite meet my gaze. I watched him cautiously, wanting to say something but afraid to break the tenuous truce between us. What do you say when the one you love is so close, but still so far? When all you want is to be near him; to hold him; but the moment you reach out you only drive him further away? How do you act to make sure that you won't lose what little you already have?_

_I, at least, couldn't think of any way to answer this. So I merely smiled at Seto once more before I relaxed against the pillows and closed my eyes._

"_I'm glad you're all right," he murmured after a moment, giving my hand a slight squeeze – intentionally or not, I couldn't say._

"_Thank you for taking care of me," I replied simply. I didn't dare open my eyes and look at him – was that too personal? How would he take that?_

_Seto laughed. "It wasn't just me, it was everyone. We were all worried. I don't think Shimon's given Mahado a moment's peace; he keeps pestering him about why he couldn't catch Bakura before this…though I think we can see how the thief kept getting away…" Seto's voice turned deadly serious when he started talking about Bakura, and finally curiosity made me open my eyes once again. Seto scowled dangerously, focused on some vague point on the wall, and his other hand had crept toward mine so that he gripped my palm between both of his._

_I had to smile. That little show of protectiveness was heartening, even if it was just a priest's loyalty to his pharaoh, or even the desire to protect a friend, though of course I couldn't help wishing it were something more. But I tried not to get my hopes up too much._

_Just then the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall and Seto let go of my hand and stepped away from the bed. My heart sank, but it was probably better that he did, since immediately afterward Shimon rushed to my side and began fussing over me in the most annoying way possible; feeling my forehead, inspecting my bandages, even prying open my eyelids and peering into my eyes. "Pharaoh, how are you feeling?" he questioned with a knowledgeable air. "Any strange pains? Dizziness?"_

"_Er… I didn't know you knew anything about medicine," I replied in confusion as Shimon pressed an ear against my chest to listen to my heartbeat._

"_He doesn't," Seto put in dryly. "Shimon, why don't you let the healers do their job?"_

_At this, my old advisor reddened and backed away with a guilty glance at the group of healers clustered near the door (who were obviously trying to hide their laughter). I gave them a brief wave and they approached, examining my injury slightly more professionally than Shimon had. While they worked over me I glanced back at Shimon, who was busily glaring, still red-faced, at Seto, who ignored him. _

"_Where are the other priests?" I asked._

"_Working," Shimon replied meaningfully, with one more foul glance at Seto. "Trying to locate the attacker." _

_A guilty frown flickered across Seto's face at this statement, though he still pointedly ignored Shimon. "I should join them, Pharaoh," he murmured, bowing respectfully. "Please excuse me."_

_I smiled reassuringly at him and nodded. "Thank you for staying with me, Seto."_

_He gave me the tiniest answering smile before he left.

* * *

_

I examined my reflection in the mirror for about the hundredth time in the last half hour. Seto had agreed to come by the game shop, though he didn't want to "sit around listening to that girl rant about friendship and watching the mutt stuff his face," as he had put it. Even though Yugi-tachi wouldn't be here today, I didn't argue, since Seto had decided he wanted to take me out instead.

So, now I painstakingly labored over my appearance, my heart thudding nervously all the while at the thought that I was going out with Seto. On a date. At least, I thought it was a date. Was it? What would we do?

Well, yes, of course it was a date. I mean, we were together now. Right?

I reddened slightly, even though there was no one around to embarrass me except my own reflection staring back at me with its deep red eyes and wild hair. I hoped Seto would think I looked nice at least; I wore a dark blue long-sleeved shirt with a low V-neck over tight black pants and black boots, not too different from my normal attire, but hopefully decent enough to impress him. I turned to the side, inspecting my appearance once more, when Yugi's – tired-sounding – voice called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yami, Kaiba's here!"

I hurried down the stairs – slowing as I reached the bottom so I didn't look _too_ eager – and strode over to where Seto stood waiting in the doorway. He looked a little uncomfortable – though this might have been because Yugi still held the front door open, tapping his foot impatiently in an obvious wish for Seto to leave – but gorgeous as always, wearing a long, black duster coat over black pants and a dark green button-up shirt. As soon as I reached him, Seto stepped up to me and, with a significant glance at Yugi, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me possessively.

As quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended and Seto stepped back. "Hello. Are you ready?" he asked.

"Er…" I replied, slightly dazed.

Seto smirked and lead me out the door with a hand on the small of my back. "Bye, Yugi," I finally managed to blurt out once we were outside, craning my neck around to see him still standing in the doorway. He rolled his eyes, but then smiled wryly and waved.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don' t own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 7

Seto took me to a beautiful little restaurant; a cheery yet elegant building I never knew existed, with a panoramic view of the black waters of the nighttime sea from our secluded table in one of the restaurant's private rooms. At first I was nervous, and stared out the window at the white-capped waves for several minutes after our menus had been taken away, since I had no other excuse not to look at the brunet sitting in front of me. Of course, I really _wanted_ to look at Seto (and I was imagining his face the entire time I stared blankly at the dark water); but I didn't want to stare at him, since I was a little afraid I'd scare him away.

I was already head-over-heels in love with Seto, but he would probably think that was moving way too fast. So I looked at the water instead and pretended I wasn't thinking about him.

Seto coughed slightly and shifted in his seat, drawing my gaze for only the briefest second – but by then the damage was already done. He was just so perfect… I let myself gape at him, feeling a dreamy smile creep over my face as our eyes met; and then Seto smiled, too, stretching his arm across the table to twine our fingers together and rest them on the white tablecloth. We sat like that for what seemed like ages, just silently watching each other, until the waiter came back with our food and I had to draw my hand away.

Seto had ordered beef fillet with sauce – I'd heard somewhere that was his favorite food – and I ordered the same, just because it reminded me of him. That might not make much sense, since he was sitting right in front of me, but for some strange reason it made me feel closer to him to eat something he liked, just because he liked it, and to be sitting at a table together eating the same food… Well, I could almost pretend we were newlyweds at home eating dinner together, instead of an uncertain new couple on their first awkward date. I sighed quietly.

"Is something wrong?" Seto asked.

"No, not at all," I replied with what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Seto nodded and bent back over his plate, so it must have been at least somewhat convincing.

During the next few minutes, Seto finished his meal while I picked halfheartedly at my food (I'd discovered beef fillet wasn't nearly as appealing as Seto made it seem), and a heavy silence hung over us; not quite a peaceful silence, but yet not so thick as to be frightening and overpowering. It felt like each of us was waiting for the other to answer a question no one had voiced.

Eventually Seto dropped his utensils on his plate and glanced up at me. I mimicked his actions, offering a tiny smile, and he reached out to take my hand once more, softly rubbing his thumb across the back of my palm while he studied our fingers. "Are you finished eating?" he asked politely, and when I nodded in agreement Seto rose, tugging me along with him and pulling me close to his side.

Seto led me through a nondescript wooden door at the back of the room that opened onto a back staircase ("Don't worry about the bill, it's already taken care of," he assured me), and the two of us descended the stairs and stepped out onto the dark, sandy beach, where the waves pounded regularly against the shoreline just a few feet in front of us, their foamy white spray contrasting sharply with the deep black water.

In spite of however poetic this might sound, standing on the beach at night in the middle of November is _not_ romantic. It is cold. Very cold.

A sharp gust of wind swept suddenly past me, cutting effortlessly through my clothes, and I shivered, letting go of Seto's hand to hug my arms close to my chest in an effort to warm myself. "Kaiba, let's go back inside," I complained. "It's freezing out here."

He didn't answer. Instead, Seto shrugged out of his long jacket and draped it around my shoulders, then wrapped his arms tightly around me, drawing me close to his chest and burying his face in my neck. "Better?" he murmured wickedly, his lips against my skin sending another violent shiver through my body, though this one felt burning hot.

"Much," I replied simply, and pulled back enough to take his face in my hands and join our lips together, the wind's chill forgotten in the blazing heat of a passionate kiss shared by two lovers just starting to really discover each other despite a strange, complex history together. I pondered this with the small part of my brain that could still think as Seto's hands slipped under the hem of my shirt and etched formless patterns along the skin of my bare back. There was already so much between us, yet virtually nothing had been spoken. I was almost certain that Seto loved me, but it was so hard to find the courage to admit to him how I felt. If only I could tell him I loved him, then maybe I could hear those sweet words in return… But was it too fast? Would he think it was too fast?

Seto's coat fell to the ground, spread out like a blanket across the grainy beach, and the two of us quickly followed in a jumble of heat and skin permanently joined at the mouth. Seto lay close against my chest as he finally broke our kiss in order to fill his lungs with the salty sea air, and rested his forehead atop mine for a brief moment, closing his eyes and panting lightly. His silky bangs tantalizingly tickled my cheeks, and as I slid my gaze to the slender arms braced on either side of my head I felt my desire for him well up stronger than ever.

Even if I couldn't quite admit to love yet, I could at least admit to this. I twined my legs around Seto's and pressed even closer to his long, slim form. "Seto… I need you," I whispered huskily. His eyes shot open and a devilish smirk spread across his face before he leaned down and assaulted my lips once more.

Well, maybe I was wrong. I suppose the beach in November can be a _little_ romantic, after all. There are ways to get rid of the cold.

* * *

_Morning dawned clear and bright as I watched with weary, heavy-lidded eyes, the knife wound just under my shoulder throbbing rhythmically with each heartbeat. But that painful injury wasn't the reason I hadn't slept the night before. In the middle of the night Seto had come to see me – though not for any of the pleasant activities my hormones would have preferred – and had rushed directly to my bedside, his wild eyes and disheveled appearance eerily similar to the day he had first saved me from Bakura's attack._

"_Seto, what's wrong?" I asked when he stopped in front of my bed._

"_Yami…" he breathed, but then, seeming to catch himself, straightened and ran a hand through his silky hair to calm it. "Pharaoh, I just had another dream, and I'm fairly sure this one was about Bakura. He's going to go after the Sennen Items."_

"_What! How do you know?" I cried, sitting up quickly and wincing as the action made the bandages rub harshly against my wound._

_Seto bit his lip; then hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed beside me and arranged the pillows at my back so I could prop more comfortably while we talked. After he adjusted the pillows he began to draw back, but I grabbed his hand and held it tightly in both of mine. He didn't pull away._

"_Seto, how do you know?" I repeated._

_He looked me directly in the eyes for a long moment before finally replying. "Bakura already has Shadow powers. We don't know how; but they're very strong as it is, so it would make sense for him to try to steal the Items to make himself even stronger, and they would help him be able to control his powers, too. He probably knows that."_

_Seto's voice grew quiet as he spoke and he trained his eyes on a spot in the middle of the opposite wall. "And your dream?" I prompted, squeezing the hand whose fingers clamped nervously around my own._

"_It was a little different," he murmured, still watching the wall. "Sometimes I have dreams and I know – I just know – that they're real. But this one was… different… like a warning, somehow…" Seto's fingers clenched tighter and I stroked his hand soothingly as he continued, his voice growing stronger, "The tomb robber is after the Items, that much I know for sure; and he probably wants to make himself pharaoh, judging from his assassination attempts…"_

_At this, Seto's eyes finally shifted from the far wall to my bandaged chest; then flicked up slightly to meet my gaze. I gave him a slight smile. "But you said it was a warning, so there's a way to stop him, right?" _

_A shadow passed over Seto's face and my smile faltered at the grim look in his eyes, which he quickly hid with his typical proud, neutral expression. "Yes, I'm sure we'll find a way," Seto replied. His gaze traveled to our joined hands and he stared at them a moment before gently pulling his palm from my grasp and rising to his feet. "I'll let you get back to your rest, Pharaoh. I'm sorry to have bothered you," Seto said calmly and swept out the door, leaving me gazing wide-eyed after him – and feeling strangely cold._

_After that encounter I hadn't slept at all, instead mulling over Seto's words as I sat propped against the pillows for the rest of the night, staring blankly out the windows at the dark sky and thinking of shadows. Now, as the sun rose, I climbed wearily from my bed and slipped into my loosest robes, careful not to disturb my bandages. I needed to think of a way to stop Bakura – he was obviously powerful, a skilled thief who could hide better than anyone else in the world; no wonder Mahado had never been able to catch him._

_Mahado… My eyes widened. Mahado guarded the tombs of the pharaohs! If Bakura was really after the Items, then Mahado could be in danger – the thief knew those tombs as well as the priests who had designed them, and he could hide there and wait for the opportunity to attack Mahado and steal the Sennen Ring. Maybe this was what Seto's dream was warning him about!_

_I started to rush out the door and order the guards to send for Mahado, just to get him away from the tombs, but halted before I'd run halfway across the room. I was probably wrong – I had no experience interpreting dreams, after all. Seto would know, though… Nodding to myself, I straightened my robes and strode from the room at a more sedate pace, my heart thudding in anticipation as I headed for my blue-eyed priest's private chambers._

* * *

I rested my head blissfully back against Seto's chest, slowly inhaling the scent of him – of _us_ – mingled with the salt and sand. He propped his chin atop my head and tightened the arms wrapped around my stomach, causing the ruined jacket he'd spread over me to slip from just under my chin to somewhere in the middle of my chest, not that I minded. I couldn't really feel the cold anymore; besides, I had Seto's body heat pressed all along my back to keep me warm.

Smiling to myself, I absentmindedly traced the knuckles of the slender hands joined tightly just under my bellybutton, holding me intimately close to the body behind me. It was things like this that made me sure Seto cared, though he rarely said _anything_, let alone anything to express his emotions. But, then again, neither did I – not yet at least.

Summoning my courage, I leaned even closer against Seto and tilted my head back so I could see his face. He met my eyes easily and gave me a half-smile before bending forward and kissing my lips. I kissed him in return, letting my tongue trail lazily along each of his teeth before retreating and allowing him to dominate the kiss, and as my eyes slipped closed in bliss I almost forgot what I had been about to say.

But then, Seto broke the kiss and pulled away, and my fear came rushing back. I couldn't put it off any longer.

"Seto?" I questioned as my heart thudded heavily against my ribs.

"Hmm?" He stared down at me through hazy, lust-clouded eyes, the look on his face making my heart flop even more crazily, but I plodded onward.

"Were you – are you – happy that I came to your office that day?"

Seto blinked slowly in surprise, but then a wicked smirk crept across his cheeks. "What do you think?" he drawled, and, leaning forward again, began to suck playfully at the tender spot just below my left ear.

I shivered, but, determined not to be distracted, gently cupped Seto's cheek in my palm and pushed him back so I could look him in the eyes. "Then why did you leave?" I asked.

Seto frowned. "I already apologized for that," he muttered sulkily.

"Please? I really need to know," I murmured, sliding the hand that cupped his cheek so that it trailed gently through his thick, silky hair. Seto closed his eyes under my touch and we stayed in that pose for a long moment, my fingers continuing to comb softly through his hair, until he finally sighed and opened his eyes again.

"I didn't know what else to do," he admitted quietly.

I smiled. That was such a Seto-like thing to say – it didn't explain anything, yet at the same moment told me everything. I caught a trace of concern in his bright blue eyes, so I leaned in reassuringly and gave him one more quick kiss on the lips. When I pulled away, examining his face, I saw that hazy expression in his eyes once more and my heart swelled up with joy at the sight.

I couldn't resist a moment longer.

"I love you," I whispered.

* * *

"…_but there must be another way!"_

_I paused mid-motion, my hand frozen in the air inches away from the door to Seto's chamber. It was already open a crack, and I had been about to knock when I heard Seto's strained cry. Who was he talking to?_

"_You know there isn't, Seto. You and I understand the Shadow powers better than anyone – it could be catastrophic for someone to be able to control them without the Items. If Bakura gets any stronger, it will take sealing a soul in an Item to stop his powers from spreading. Otherwise he could take over the entire nation without even trying."_

"_We don't know that, Shimon! All we know for sure is that the tomb robber can call up shadows to hide himself. How could he take over a country like that, especially since we have our Items to banish the shadows? Surely no one will have to seal their soul away – we can stop Bakura before things get that far."_

"_Don't be deliberately ignorant, Seto. You're the one who called me here; you're the one who had the dreams; you know there's no other way. He'll cover all of Egypt with shadows! All our Items won't do any good; he's probably too strong already."_

_Seto let out a deep, long sigh. "If what I dreamed is true…" He paused. "Then let me do it. I'll seal my soul in the Rod; that should be enough. Don't… You can't tell Yami. I can't let him do that to himself. Please, Shimon!" By now he was begging, and I could hear his voice crack as he pleaded with Shimon. "I know Yami is more powerful than me, but don't make him sacrifice himself! He would want to, if he ever found out… Just tell him after it's over…"_

_Shimon drew in a sharp breath. "I knew it. You have some sort of crush… Do you have any idea how inappropriate that is? Why, if…"_

"_SHUT UP! Just shut up! I don't care what you think anymore! I can feel however I want! And I'm not going to let Yami die, not if I can stop it."_

"_NO! Seto, stop! We're not even sure if that would work! It needs to be the pharaoh!"_

_My legs turned to jelly under me as a strong yellow light started to glow through the crack in the door. Was Seto doing what I thought he was! I shoved open the door and it hit the wall with a resounding bang as I ran into Seto's chambers to find him standing in the middle of the room, his eyes closed and both hands cupping the Sennen Rod. The yellow glow flowed out from the Rod, and Seto's handsome face was twisted fiercely in concentration as Shimon shouted at him fruitlessly._

"_SETO! STOP!" I cried at the top of my lungs._

_His eyes shot open in surprise at the sound of my voice and his hands jerked, almost dropping the Rod, and as he fumbled it in his grasp the Item lost it glow and returned to its ordinary dull metal sheen. Our eyes met and slowly, helplessly, I advanced toward Seto until I stood mere inches from his face._

"_Yami… I can't let you…" he mumbled, not breaking our eye contact._

"_What makes you think it would be easier for me to lose you?" I whispered. His brilliant eyes widened slightly and I offered him a small, wry smile; and then, after casting a sidelong glance at Shimon and frowning resolutely, Seto stepped forward and fisted his fingers in the hair at the nape of my neck, pulling me into a fierce kiss._

_Kissing Seto was everything I'd hoped it would be. His lips were so soft and warm, yet so strong; his breath sent shivers down my spine as it gusted across my cheek; and the taste of his tongue wrapped around mine was more intoxicating than any wine I'd ever sampled. It was just… perfect._

_But then, it was over, and he pulled away, and we had to face the world again all too soon._

"_There must be another way. We'll find another way. We'll stop the tomb robber before…" I began, but broke off at the sound of frantic footsteps running down the hall. Shimon, Seto and I turned toward the open doorway just as Isis appeared, sobbing and panting while tears rolled down her cheeks. "Isis! What's wrong?" I gasped._

_The distraught female took in a deep breath, wiping her face before looking at me through wet, red-rimmed eyes. "Mahado was attacked… he didn't make it…" Sobs racked her body once more before she added, gasping for breath, "And Bakura stole the Ring."_


	8. Chapter 8

Almost finished now; just one chapter left... Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! Hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 8

"I love you," I whispered.

Seto drew in a sharp breath and I felt his limbs freeze under me. "W-what?" he stuttered. "You don't – do you? But we've only… It's only… I know we… but…"

I was torn between disappointment and the inappropriate desire to laugh at the sight of the brilliant CEO reduced to incoherent stutters, but eventually the humor won out and I let out a short bark of nervous laughter when, a full minute later, Seto still hadn't managed to form a complete sentence.

Big mistake.

Seto leapt to his feet, sending me tumbling from his lap onto the grainy sand, and stalked off angrily along the deserted beach, his furious strides kicking up a small cloud of white sand behind him. He paused a good distance away, just in front of the water, and buried his face in the palms of his hands while I stared at him in amazement from my seat atop the cold, damp sand.

"Seto?" I called softly after a moment, rising slowly to my feet, but he didn't respond; just stood there stock-still with his back to me, his face hidden in his hands. Hesitantly I approached him, wrapping my arms tightly around my chest as a shield from the fierce wind, which seemed even colder and more forbidding after Seto's warm embrace. I stopped when I reached his side, the ocean's freezing waves inches from my feet, and laid a hand on his arm. He jerked away from me.

"Seto, say something," I pleaded. "Are you upset because I laughed? I… I just didn't know what else to do…"

His stance relaxed slightly and he shook his head, but he looked away from me, toward where the restaurant windows sat glittering against the black sky. "We should go," Seto finally said. "It's cold."

With that, he turned and began trudging through the deep sand, this time away from the ocean, once again leaving me behind gaping in wonder. But as I watched him walk away, sand clinging to his tall, slim form and clumping in his thick, dark hair, a strange tight ache rose up from somewhere deep in my chest. It wasn't like when he had run away from me the first time, when I was sure my heart was broken; this ache was different, harsher somehow…

For a moment I felt like a red haze descended over my eyes, and that was when I realized the difference. I wasn't heartbroken; I was _angry_. Furious. In all my life I'd never felt even a fraction of the blind fury that swept over me in that instant – because I _knew_ Seto loved me. He did! It was so obvious – and I wasn't going to let him walk away from me and pretend like he never felt anything just because he didn't want to say it.

I raced after Seto, stumbling as my feet sank into the deep sand, and caught up with him before he'd reached the middle of the beach. I ran in front of him and braced both of my palms against his chest, stopping him in his tracks, and before he could sidle away from me I stared up into his face and determinedly met his gaze. "Stop," I ordered.

Seto looked down at me through eyes heavily shaded by thick bangs – though they would have been hard to read in the darkness, anyway – but the grim set of his jaw was easy enough to see. "What is it, Yami?" he muttered.

That haze briefly descended once again and I shoved Seto harshly with the palms still pressed against his chest, causing him to stumble slightly and take a step backward. I stepped with him. "Why won't you just admit it?" I demanded. "What's so hard? How can you treat me the way that you do – like you CARE about me – but then run away the moment you might have to actually say what you feel? Or is it me? Is there something about me that you suddenly decided you didn't like? Or maybe you just don't believe me? Well, like it or not, it's true. I love you; I love you so much, Seto…"

Frustrated tears spilled down my cheeks but I brushed them away with annoyance and leaned forward against Seto's chest, tilting my face up enough to give him an impatient kiss on the lips. I felt him sigh against my mouth as he gently kissed me back, wrapping his arms around my waist and drawing me flush against him for a few glorious seconds – but then he let go and stepped backward once again.

"It's not that, Yami… You wouldn't understand…" he mumbled.

I sighed. "What wouldn't I understand?"

Seto met my gaze once more; and, to my shock, I saw tears brimming brightly in his eyes. "It's not that I didn't like hearing you say you loved me – it was wonderful. But… when you say that… or the way you say my name sometimes; it's just like it was…" Seto shook his head vehemently. "No! It can't be real!"

"What? What are you talking about, Seto?" I asked, thoroughly befuddled. "What can't be real?"

The tears welled up so thick in his eyes that it was a miracle none spilled down his cheeks as he gazed at me seriously. "The memories," he answered.

* * *

_The blood drained from my face in a dizzying rush as I stared at the sobbing woman in front of me. "Did you say…? Did you say Mahado…?" I choked, unable to finish the horrible sentence. "Isis… What happened?"_

"_It was Bakura," she replied between shuddering sobs. "I don't know what happened –everything went so dark – and then Mahado was… he…" With that, Isis broke down completely and Shimon rushed to her side, wrapping his arms consolingly around the dark haired woman as she buried her tearstained face in his shoulder._

"_Isis, where did Bakura go?" Seto spoke up, but by now she was far too upset to form a coherent reply. So, after cupping my cheek in his palm for a brief instant, Seto turned and suddenly rushed from the room at top speed, his robes billowing behind him as he bypassed Shimon and Isis, who barely noticed him._

_I raced after Seto – still feeling the warm pressure of his palm against my skin – and caught up with him just as he ran through the door to one of the palace battlements. "Seto! Where are you going?" I cried, scrabbling to catch his sleeve before he rushed up the stairs. "What are you doing?"_

_He paused and I caught a glimpse of blue eyes fraught with fear before Seto quickly pulled from my grasp and went back to climbing the stairs. I followed him. "We have to find the tomb robber. We can see most of the country from here," Seto finally answered as we emerged atop the tower. "Look for any shadows. They may hide the thief but we'll know he's there, since there won't be any natural darkness at this time of day," he explained._

_With that, Seto stretched to his full height and began scanning the landscape for any glimpse of the thief. I looked around as well, but my gaze kept returning involuntarily to the tall, lean figure whose dark hair whipped around his face in the desert wind, and my heart twisted from an emotion wholly different from the fear and grief that had assaulted it over the past few minutes._

_I couldn't let this moment pass._

"_Seto," I murmured, stepping closer and taking his hand in mine as his cerulean eyes continued sweeping across the countryside. "I have to tell you… I wanted you to know…" _

"_Yami, now is not the time," Seto cut me off brusquely. But he squeezed my hand in an affectionate way and a tiny, wistful smile crept over his face as he went back to searching for the thief._

_I let go of his hand and turned around, scanning the palace grounds. From here I could barely make out the pharaohs' tombs in the distance; my father's among them… And then I saw it. The tiny dark spot._

"_Seto, look!"_

_He turned, drawing in a sharp breath when he saw where I was pointing. As we watched the spot grew, stretching from the flat plain all the way to the sky and sweeping forward like an uncontrollable black tsunami. "What do we do?" I cried, unable to tear my eyes from the horrible darkness as it kept rushing forward, faster and faster, until the entire horizon was filled with shadows._

"_Yami, put one hand on your Puzzle and stretch out the other in front of you," Seto said in a strained voice, laced with fear. I immediately obeyed and he mimicked the action, and light began pouring from both of our Items in a yellow glow that shot toward the thick wall of shadows. For a long, heart-stopping moment the black wall froze in its path; then it slowly, painfully inched backward, lightening as it retreated until it became a smoky gray haze._

_But then it turned back to blackness, and the shadows rushed toward us again faster than ever._

_Sweat poured from Seto's brow as he stood beside me with his arm outstretched, fighting to keep the shadows at bay, but the two of us just weren't enough. We needed the other priests; but Isis had been reduced to a hysterical, sobbing mess on the floor, and the others had vanished to Ra knows where – maybe Bakura had gotten to them._

_And Mahado was dead._

_I dropped my hand and sank to my knees in despair. Seto lowered his hand as well, gazing at me in concern even in the middle of all this chaos. I desperately wished that I had paid more attention to Shimon when he had tried to teach me about the Sennen Items; then, maybe, I would have known some way to stop this. But then again, maybe there was no way to stop it, except…_

_I rose to my feet and looked straight into Seto's perfect, gorgeous eyes. Then, standing on my tiptoes, I planted a furious, desperate kiss on his soft lips even as the shadows converged around us until we were standing in the only patch of light in the dark world. I stepped back._

"_I love you," I whispered, placing a hand on either side of the Puzzle._

_With that, I saw no more._

* * *

"Memories? What… Seto, do you mean memories of _Egypt_?" I breathed, my eyes widening in amazement.

"What does it matter? It's not real anyway…" he muttered. He looked down, causing his heavy bangs to fall over his face and shade his eyes, but I didn't need to read his gaze to know what he was thinking. It hit me suddenly, in an incredible burst of insight; with those two words – 'the memories' – I instantly understood why Seto had been acting the way he had.

"You've been seeing them for a while, haven't you?" I asked knowingly. "Ever since that day when you found me on the sidewalk; because that's when I…"

But Seto was shaking his head. "No; the memories – or hallucinations – started a little while before that. Sometimes I couldn't get them out of my head, and I'd have to go for walks, in the city, or the wharfs… But it doesn't matter, because they're not real," he repeated.

"They _are_!" I protested, grabbing his face with both my hands and forcing him to look at me. "I remember it, too, Seto! I remember you. I loved you so much – and I still do."

With that, as I stared fervently into his eyes willing him to believe me, the tears finally slipped down Seto's cheeks. I shouldn't have been surprised, since they had been brimming in his eyes for a long time, but when they fell a stab of pain jolted through my heart. Seeing him cry was the most horrible, heartwrenching experience I had ever known – and I felt somehow like it was my fault.

"No… Seto, don't! I know it's frightening having those flashbacks, but don't you want to remember? To know we felt as strongly about each other thousands of years ago as we do now?" I pleaded and leaned forward a little, gently brushing my lips against his.

But this time he didn't return my kiss. Seto broke away from me, letting out a slight snort of derisive laughter. "Why would I want to know _that_?" he spat bitterly. "Are you sure you remember, Yami? That you feel the same way as you did then?"

I nodded slowly. I wasn't sure why Seto was getting so upset – I would think he'd be happy that I loved him; that I had always loved him…

He laughed harshly once more and new, thick tears fell down his cheeks. "Then I guess you'll be leaving now."

"WHAT!"

"It's what you did before."

"Seto… I sealed my soul away because I had to! I did it to save Egypt! To save _you_!"

He glared at me, not bothering to wipe away the shining tear tracks that had collected on his pale cheeks. "Maybe. You didn't really give me much of a choice, though, did you? You just decided to kill yourself right there in front of me, right after you profess your 'love'! How is it 'saving me' to leave me there to live without you?"

I was speechless. My jaw dropped, only to click shut again when I realized I couldn't form any words. "But… You would have died…" I finally managed.

"I would rather have died," he replied bitterly. Then Seto gave me a long, tired glance, and as he stared contemplatively into my eyes his countenance slowly changed. A wry, bitter smile twisted his lips, but his eyes were tender as he reached out and gently brushed the bangs from my face, letting his slender fingers linger against my skin. I leaned into his touch. "At least then we would be together in the afterlife, if it even exists, that is…"

"Seto…" I began, but he interrupted me.

"Don't start, Yami. Like it or not, you took the easy way out. It's a lot easier to sacrifice yourself than to keep living the rest of your life, getting old, fat and senile and knowing that the only reason your worthless body takes another breath of air is because the person you love most in the world gave it to you."

"Seto, please! I wanted you to…"

"I know. And you wanted to save your people. A brave pharaoh." The wry smile twisted a little more.

I was dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say; didn't know what to do; just stood there staring at the bright, wet tracks glistening on Seto's cheeks and knowing that I put them there. I made him cry. I made him suffer. I couldn't fix that. So instead of trying to find some empty words or tiresome platitudes that would never make things better, I just rushed forward and hugged my weeping Seto, burying my face in his chest and letting my own tears dampen his shirt while I clutched at him. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," I murmured helplessly against the wet cloth. Then slowly, cautiously, Seto's arms snaked around my shoulders. I sniffled once, the sound slightly muffled by his chest, and Seto's arms tightened around me until he was really holding me, embracing me with the careful tenderness of a worried lover.

That was when I knew things would turn out all right.

"I'm so sorry," I murmured again as he held me, lightly stroking my back with his perfect, slender fingers. He didn't answer, but I felt his arms tighten almost imperceptibly around me and he rested his chin on top of my head. We remained in this pose for long, silent minutes afterwards, our combined body heat banishing the freezing ocean wind, since for a long time neither of us dared to move from the fear that this tentative peace would be broken if either of us spoke even one word or moved a single inch from the other's protective embrace.

But eventually it had to end. I took a step backward, slipping from under Seto's arm, though I immediately grasped his hand and twined our fingers together. "It doesn't have to be the same," I said softly. "Things aren't the same as they were then."

Seto smiled that wry, bitter smile once again and stretched out his free hand to thread gently through my bangs. "They are, Yami. They're so similar it's hard not to expect to see you wearing all your gold jewelry and that skimpy little robe." I flushed slightly at this, but he immediately continued. "When I dreamed that I saved your life, it was so real that I had to go out and find you – and you really were in danger. I remembered how you used to look at me – as if you wanted to kiss me, to be with me – and then you showed up at my office and looked at me exactly the same way. You say my name the same way, too. And… and Bakura is still here."

I squeezed his hand tightly in both of mine. "It doesn't matter, Seto. Of course things are similar, but they're not the _same_. I'm not a pharaoh, you're not a priest, and though Bakura's still a thief, he's not out to kill me anymore."

Seto snorted. I took that as a good sign. "Seto… I love you so much. I'll never leave you. Never again," I promised. With that, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, stretching upward to taste the familiar tang of his soft, supple lips.

This time, he kissed me back. Seto's arms crept around me, cautiously at first, but then they quickly tightened, pressing me almost unbearably close to his deliciously warm frame as the kiss grew more passionate. His tongue snaked through my teeth to wrap around my own, and I relaxed and let him dominate the kiss, feeling his need to convince himself that I was his. So, Seto kept kissing me, gradually sucking the air from my lungs until I felt dizzy and my knees gave way, my only support the arms clasped desperately around Seto's neck.

He didn't bother trying to hold me up. Instead, Seto dropped to his knees and slowly lowered me onto the sandy beach for the second time that evening. I let go of his neck, gazing up at Seto through hazy, lust-ridden eyes as he started gently removing my clothes. His dark, silky bangs hung in his eyes. I lifted a hand to brush them away, but Seto caught it before I reached his face and, pausing in his effort to undress me, grasped my hand in both of his and planted a soft kiss on my palm. I smiled.

Then Seto looked me directly in the eyes and said those words, those sweet words I had been craving since the moment I saw him standing on the pier, staring at the ocean through eyes a thousand times bluer than its crystal waters. Or, really, even before that – since the first time I set my eyes on a young priest, beautiful and brilliant, who called his pharaoh by name the first time they spoke.

"I love you, Yami," he whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

**WARNING: **This chapter has lemon! This chapteris why the story is rated R. I debated putting up a link to another site, but the lemon scene really doesn't go above R. Still, if you don't like these kinds of scenes, you can stop reading where it says "epilogue." The actual story ends there; the epilogue is just an added fluff/lemon scene with Yami and Seto. Anyhow, you have been warned!

This is the last chapter of the fic. Thanks so much to everyone who has read this and supported it. I appreciate all of your reviews, especially those of you who take the time to leave nice long ones. Those are great!

**Note: **A couple of you mentioned the fact that I don't use Atemu and Seth as their pastnames. I actually did this for a reason. The AE part of this fic, though it's similar to the manga, is a lot of what I made up myself. It's alternate reality, so to speak. Anyway, I decided to use the same names throughout so that Yami's flashbacks would seem more fluid, slipping back and forth between the past and present. It also makes the two times seem more similar, enhancing Seto's fear that the past would repeat itself. (At least, that's what I was going for... lol)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 9

"Ah-choo!"

Well, it seems that I was right from the beginning. A nighttime visit to the beach in the middle of November is most definitely _not _romantic. After Seto's and my late-night indiscretions yesterday, my body was rubbed sore and red and sand had collected in my hair – as well as other, much more painful parts of my anatomy – and I still couldn't get rid of it all, even after several long showers. Plus, I had developed a terrible cold.

"Ah-CHOO!" I sneezed violently once again and reached for the box of tissues beside the bed so I could wipe my swollen, red nose; but the box fell to the floor as my hand roughly bumped against it, and my precious tissues rolled under the bed and out of my reach.

I groaned and leaned back against the pillows, deciding to just breathe through my mouth.

Eventually, however, this became impossible, since my throat was also coated with an uncomfortable layer of phlegm. But I was too exhausted to move, so I merely threw an arm tiredly across my eyes and called for Yugi. "Yugi!" I croaked. "Would you come here please?"

A rustling sound came from the next room, so I assumed Yugi heard me, and I relaxed a little more against the pillows, my arm still sprawled across my face and my mouth hanging agape with my noisy, rattling breaths. Until I heard cruel laughter, that is, and sat straight up in surprise.

"Ha! Pharaoh, you look like you got run over a few times," the white-haired intruder snickered.

"Bakura, what are you doing here?" I groaned, flopping back against the mattress. "Where's Yugi?"

"He went to the store, and asked Ryou and me to watch you while he was gone," Bakura answered smugly.

"He asked _you_ to watch me?" I croaked disbelievingly.

"Well, actually he asked Ryou. I was just generous enough to volunteer my help."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay… Well, then you can help by reaching under the bed and getting my box of tissues."

Surprisingly, Bakura complied, though he made a show of moving as slowly as possible and taking out a wad of tissues to needlessly blow his own nose before handing me the box. I glared, but thanked him when I could finally breathe through my nose again, at least for a little while. Smirking at my thanks, Bakura sat on the edge of the bed and stared at me contemplatively. I glared at him again and made a halfhearted attempt to kick him off the bed, but I was too exhausted to move my leg far enough, so I just rolled over so that my back faced him and tried to ignore him.

I really hated being sick.

"The priest wore you out last night, then, huh?" Bakura observed nonchalantly.

I rolled back over to face him. "Yugi told you?" I questioned sulkily, waiting for the teasing to start.

But Bakura rolled his eyes. "In case you've forgotten, I was the one who drove you to his office in the first place." Here Bakura wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I groaned. "Besides," he continued, "I remember Egypt, too; and if Kaiba's half as crazy about you as Seto was, then…" The tomb robber trailed off, waving a hand in a wide, sweeping gesture, and despite myself a stupid grin suddenly popped up just under my stuffy nose.

At least, until I remembered who I was talking to, and then it dropped off my face immediately.

"Wait a minute!" I protested. "How did you know about Seto and me? You were too busy trying to kill me to spend time snooping into my love life! And for that matter, why have you suddenly started acting nice? Just because you wanted to get into Ryou's pants? Are you going to try to murder me again as soon as my back is turned? You know, it's because of you that Seto and I had to go through all that in the first place! You… you…"

A sudden fit of coughing mixed with several violent sneezes interrupted my righteous tirade, and Bakura sat quietly observing me until it was over. Then, when I raised watery crimson eyes to glare at the thief, he just silently handed me a tissue. "You're right," he said bluntly.

"About what?"

I paused momentarily to blow my nose.

"…that you're going to try to kill me again?" I continued, balling up the tissue and tossing it into the overflowing garbage can by the bed.

Bakura wrinkled his nose in disgust. "No. That it's my fault Seto had to suffer."

I leaned back against the pillows and regarded him in confusion. "I'm surprised you admitted it – though you left out what you did to me."

"I didn't do _anything_ to you," he retorted.

"Besides the multiple attempts to kill me," I shot back dryly.

"Whatever. What you went through was nothing compared to what Seto did," Bakura snapped angrily, jumping up from his seat on the bed and glaring furiously at me.

For at least the second time in two days I was speechless. I stared up at the tomb robber as _he_ glared at _me_ in righteous anger on Seto's behalf… It was a little surreal, to say the least. "Bakura…?" I asked tentatively, "Do you know what happened to him?"

Bakura's glare faded into a thoughtful gaze as he watched me a moment longer before finally nodding. He sat down on the edge of the bed again.

* * *

_This was it – my moment of triumph. The Sennen Ring hadn't amplified my powers, it had multiplied them exponentially, and soon all of Egypt would be shrouded in darkness until the pharaoh finally admitted defeat and conceded the throne. If I didn't kill him first, that is._

_But then, just as the wall of darkness reached its peak, it shut off. Just like that – no warning – it was as if someone had put a stopper on my powers. I concentrated harder, trying once again to summon the shadows, but nothing happened. I was completely cut off. Sunlight seeped back into the world, but a chill ran down my spine despite the return of its heat. I had never been without my powers…_

_I froze in fear. The sun's light seemed to cling to me, glistening on my white hair and making me stand out, more obvious and vulnerable than I had ever been. So, I panicked and ran for the only place I truly knew, knew well enough to hide even without my protective shadows. _

_The tombs of the pharaohs._

_There I stayed, slowly realizing that I had indeed lost my powers, as over the next few days every attempt to summon the familiar darkness ended in complete, abject failure. Even the Ring I had stolen from that priest, Mahado, offered me little power. It was as if it had been blocked by some incredibly powerful force; no doubt the efforts of the Pharaoh._

_He was dead, I knew that much._

_They brought his body in the day before; one of the most lavish mummies I'd ever seen. Perhaps in a few days I would loot his tomb, once I had gained the confidence to go outside without my Shadow powers… I fingered the sharp edges of the Ring. Maybe I could still eke some power from the Item…_

_A slight sound behind me caught my attention, and I pressed farther against the wall, hiding in an alcove in the stone as a tall, slim person wearing formal robes swept by, carrying a torch and an elaborately carved box. Treasure! I decided to follow him._

_He glided smoothly through the corridors, his stance straight and proud but for a tiny slump in his shoulders that bespoke of suffering, and I continued to follow him until he stopped in the wide, high-ceilinged chamber where the pharaoh lay amidst his mounds of glistening gold treasure. I hid in a shadowy corner of the room while the man approached the sarcophagus and reverently traced the carved image of the pharaoh's face, before he placed the box atop the sarcophagus and knelt beside it._

_As he slid to his knees I caught a glimpse of brilliant blue eyes. It was that priest… Seto… the Pharaoh's favorite. What was he doing?_

_Seto knelt there a long moment, staring silently at the floor, before he spoke in a cracked, husky voice. "Hello Yami. I brought you your Puzzle." The Sennen Puzzle! I almost rushed across the room to grab it right then, but froze in my tracks when I remembered I didn't have my powers anymore. Scowling, I settled back against the wall to wait for Seto to leave._

_He was speaking again. "It was shattered, you know; the moment you… But I picked up all the pieces. I made them wait to finish the burial until I picked up…all the pieces…" Seto's voice cracked and tears flowed down his cheeks in torrents, but he kept speaking, choking out the words in a thick, clouded voice. "I knew you would've wanted your Puzzle, so I made them wait… But… Yami… That wasn't the only reason, you know. When they brought you here yesterday there were so many people here – do you know how many people love you, Yami?"_

_My brow furrowed. That was at least the third time he'd called the pharaoh by name. I'd thought that stupid, arrogant king was too full of himself to ever let anyone do that… I took an involuntary step forward, irresistibly drawn by my curiosity. _

"_So many people loved you – still love you," Seto croaked. "I couldn't get close enough to talk to you… But I had to – Yami, I had to tell you! You…you… left… before I could tell you… I love you, too. I love you so much. I'm sorry I didn't say it before, when I had the chance. I'm sorry I ran from you for so long – I was just worried about what other people would think, you know? But I don't care anymore. I don't. If I ever got another chance, if the gods ever granted me another chance to be with you, I wouldn't hold back for a second. I would tell you I love you, whisper it in your ear every second until I knew you really believed it; I would hold you; make love to you every day…"_

_Seto burst into harsh sobs, his body convulsing as he sank even lower on his knees, the fingers pressed tight against his face hiding his tears. I involuntarily stepped even closer, my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open in wonder. So the priest and the pharaoh were together! And Seto seemed completely broken over it. I had never seen anything like this…_

_I must have made a sound, because Seto jerked up as if burned and leapt to his feet in one smooth, fluid motion. "Tomb robber!" he hissed, glaring at me through eyes still wet with tears, and brandished his Sennen Rod threateningly. "What are you doing here? Did you come to rob Yami's tomb before he's even properly buried!"_

_I stared back at him levelly. "Actually, yes. And to steal the Sennen Puzzle, in particular," I answered dryly. It was the truth – at least, the truth minus the part where Seto's love confession left me feeling distinctly… unsettled. Then, since Seto looked like he was about to attack me, I waved a hand to summon enough shadows to escape._

_Nothing happened._

_Oh holy Ra. I forgot my powers were gone._

_I spun on a heel and rushed toward the exit to lose myself in the catacombs' labyrinth before Seto could find me, but he was too quick. He held up his Sennen Rod and I froze in my tracks. Seto slowly made his way over to where I stood, stopping directly in front of me so that he towered over me from his impressive height. His eyes flashed; his expression shifted from one of misery to one of pure fury in a matter of seconds. "You did this to him," Seto growled._

_With the Rod's magic holding me frozen in place it was hard to speak, but I managed to bark out a rude retort. "It looks like he did it to himself."_

_The pain flickered back into Seto's gaze for a moment before the fury returned, stronger than ever. "Would you like to know how it feels?" he snarled nastily. "I think that would be a fitting punishment for you – to endure what you put Yami through…" With that, Seto raised the Rod once more and closed his eyes, focusing intently, and the Ring around my neck began to glow. It shone brightly for a brief second before I was engulfed by my beloved shadows._

_The last image that passed through my mind before the darkness overtook me was Seto, kneeling and broken beside the tomb of his beloved.

* * *

_

"That's how I got trapped in the Ring," Bakura finished quietly, staring distantly at the floor.

Tears were spilling from my eyes in immeasurable torrents while I tried vainly to catch them with the last, soaked tissue from the box. "Oh, Seto," I murmured softly, burying my face in my hands.

"There's no use crying about it anymore," Bakura said tonelessly. "It's over now. You did what you had to do – you didn't have a choice. And Seto got what he wanted; you two have another chance. If Kaiba is anything like the priest I saw that day, he's not going to give up on you. I never saw anything like that… I still can't get it out of my head. It made me want to feel even half that strongly about someone, because I figured the joy must be even stronger than the heartbreak – that it would be worth the pain, in the end – and it was true. When I'm with Ryou I think I know, just a little, how Seto must have felt…"

I lifted my head from my hands, feeling a tiny grin begin to creep over my face. "So you really think Seto and I have a chance?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. When he finds out you're sick he'll come in here with soup and medicine, driving us all crazy until you get over your pathetic little cold. Then before you know it he'll be asking you to move in."

I laughed a little. "I don't know; Seto doesn't really seem like the type to…"

A knock on the door interrupted me. "Yami?" Ryou's voice called. "Kaiba's here. Do you feel well enough to see him?"

"Of course!" I answered, hastily wiping my face and shoving aside the remnants of used tissues cluttering the mattress.

"See, what did I tell you?" Bakura said smugly as he rose from the bed to open the door; and sure enough, Seto stood in the doorway holding a bag from the local drugstore. He and Bakura exchanged suspicious glares as they passed each other – and Bakura shot me a meaningful wink behind Seto's back before he disappeared down the hall.

Seto sat on the bed beside me, kissing me slowly on the lips for a long moment before I broke away. "You'll catch my cold," I muttered mournfully.

He shot me a grin. "So?"

Before I could think of a response to that, Seto spoke again, setting the bag on my nightstand. "I brought you some tissues and cold medicine; I thought you might need it," Seto said. Then he turned and studied my face carefully. "You look red… How are you feeling?" he asked.

A slow smile spread over my face and I leaned in and kissed him once more. "Much better now."

* * *

**BEGINNING OF LEMON HERE!**

Epilogue

I hung the last of my shirts in the elaborate walk-in closet and shut the door with a sigh. "Finally finished, thank goodness," I mumbled. I stared at the door for a second longer. Then I glanced around the empty room. No one was around…

I opened the closet door again and stepped inside, observing the wondrous sight once again of my clothes hanging side-by-side with Seto's. They just looked so _right_ together, and I had the curious feeling that this was where they belonged – together, just like Seto and me.

Was this what love was?

I laughed. I was being ridiculous. But still, I couldn't deny that I liked seeing my things stored next to Seto's, liked the sense of permanence that it gave me. Plus, this way a little of his scent might rub off onto my clothes. Smiling ironically to myself, I stepped forward and pulled out one of Seto's shirts, a long-sleeved white button-up, and buried my face unapologetically in the soft fabric, inhaling his spicy, musky scent.

I should have known he would catch me.

"What are you doing?"

I dropped the shirt, letting it fall into a crumpled mass on the floor as I whirled to face the intruder. It was Seto, of course, staring at me with a bemused smirk etched across his flawless face.

"Nothing," I muttered, my face reddening under his gaze.

"Something you like about my shirt?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"_Really_?" A teasing lilt crept into Seto's voice and he inched toward me predatorily as he spoke. He stopped when he hovered painfully close to me, near enough for me to feel the heat radiating from his skin and to automatically shift toward the comforting warmth; but before I could move he leaned even closer, smirking as his face gradually approached mine. One strong, slender hand brushed along my side until it came to rest on my hipbone, his smirk shifting into a seductive grin as our eyes met, his breath now ghosting tantalizingly along my cheek.

I smiled and lifted my chin to meet Seto's lips – but he turned his head and merely reached down to pick up his shirt. "You shouldn't leave this on the floor, it'll wrinkle," Seto chided matter-of-factly.

Then he hung up the shirt and walked away.

After a moment of standing in the middle of the closet, staring after him, I scowled and stomped into the bedroom after Seto. "Kaiba! Don't tease me like that!"

He didn't answer, just crossed his arms and stared at me expectantly. "Fine!" I sighed. "I was smelling your shirt." My face burned as Seto grinned at me again, that familiar cloudy expression spreading through his brilliant blue eyes.

"Why?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Shut up, Kaiba."

"Don't call me Kaiba. And I was just asking a simple question." He strode toward me once again as he spoke, the slow sway of his long, lean legs conveying a vastly different meaning than the so-called simple words. My throat suddenly went dry.

"I… I…"

"Hmm?" Seto murmured.

This time I didn't even try to answer, just stared stupidly at the slim brunet as he closed the distance between us, his arms slipping around my waist and tugging me flush against his chest, while my own arms wrapped familiarly around his neck. I rose to my tiptoes – before Seto could tease me anymore – and pressed my lips against his firm, warm mouth, closing my eyes at the sparking tingle of excited nerves running across our joined lips.

Seto sighed, a deep-throated murmur that vibrated through the chest so achingly close to mine, and as I deepened our kiss his murmur turned into a full-fledged moan, the sound sending a shiver along my spine and turning my limbs to jelly in sudden anticipation. I opened my eyes and locked gazes with the brilliant blue orbs of my gorgeous lover, just as he broke the kiss and slowly pulled away.

Our eyes stayed locked on each other for a long moment, examining each other; maybe just burning the moment into our memories. Or – well, I can't speak for Seto, but I know that I felt that same curious sense of wonder as I had while looking at our clothes hanging side-by-side in the closet. This was _forever_. Bakura had – amazingly – been right, and not long after I'd gotten over my cold, Seto had proposed. We were engaged now…

And today I'd just started moving in my things. But I got the feeling I wouldn't be leaving again.

"I love you…"

The words slipped unbidden from my lips as I continued staring at Seto, and my mind almost didn't even register the fact that I'd said them as my hands closed the sparse distance between us once again, sliding slowly down his smooth chest to fumble at the hem of his black turtleneck. I leisurely tugged at the shirt, letting the tips of my fingers scrape across the hot, firm skin of Seto's stomach as I pulled the fabric over his head, smiling to myself when he raised his arms to help me.

I stood there for a second and let myself admire his slightly pale yet perfectly muscled chest before I cautiously reached out to him once more, tracing formless patterns across the hot skin with my cold palms and tweaking the hard nipples that rose firm under the base of my thumb.

Seto hissed, a deep shudder running through his lean body, and suddenly this limited contact wasn't nearly enough for either of us.

I rose to my tiptoes and crashed our lips together once again, only to break away almost immediately when Seto's fingers scrabbled at my shirt, furiously tugging at the offending garment and pulling it over my head. As soon as the crumpled fabric dropped aimlessly to the carpet my lips melded against Seto's once more, even as my hands fumbled with the clasp of his tight black pants, unzipping them and slipping daringly inside the fabric. My fingers splayed along his hipbones for a brief second before they crept underneath the elastic of his boxers, inching forward until they cupped his already hard arousal.

Seto hissed again, against my mouth; and, still not breaking contact with my lips, reached down and drew my hands away from their exploration. I mumbled something in disapproval, pulling away from our kiss to glare at him slightly, but Seto interrupted me. "Bed," he said shortly.

I grinned and started to make some sort of reply – though I was never very sure about what exactly I wanted to say – but he cut me off again, this time with another deep, nerve-shattering kiss, and when Seto grabbed my hips I hopped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, gripping his neck once more for support. With me clinging to his middle, trailing wet kisses down his neck and sucking purposefully at that tender spot at the hollow of his collarbone, Seto made his way to the bed, breathing raggedly.

He dropped me at the foot of the bed and I obediently let go of him, only to reach for his waistband again, lightly stroking his arousal through the thin fabric. Seto's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes glazed over with that heart-stopping cloudy expression as I slowly tugged the cloth down his slender, creamy thighs, exposing the firm, delicate skin beneath.

I started to caress that hot skin, relishing every whimper that came from my blue-eyed lover as my fingers threaded and stroked his hard member; but, displaying self-control I didn't know he had, Seto gently placed a hand atop mine and stopped me before I could bring him to release. "No," he murmured.

I blinked in surprise. "But you said…"

Seto smirked. "Off," he ordered, pointing at the leather pants barely constraining my own harsh arousal.

I had to grin, but I obeyed – as if I would really protest – and tugged off my pants, while Seto moved over to the nightstand beside the bed and rummaged around in one of the drawers. As Seto fiddled with the bottle of lubricant I stretched out on my back across the bed, running a hand across my chest and feeling the excited crash of my thundering heart under my fingertips. Every time we did this; even now, when Seto had asked me to stay with him forever, being with him still made my heart race and my nerves splinter, from anticipation of the inevitable euphoria as well as the fear that somehow all this would come crashing to a halt; that I would lose him.

But of course, Seto always reassured me just in time.

"You're so beautiful, Yami," he murmured lowly as he parted my thighs, spreading kisses in a thick trail toward that burning, anxious part of me that throbbed and twitched under his touch; until finally, agonizingly, Seto took me in his mouth and snaked his tongue meticulously along the hot skin.

I cried out in ecstasy, alternating between gripping his shoulders and fisting my fingers in the hair at the base of his scalp as he added his fingers to the detailed dance of his tongue; the lube-covered digits slipping inside me, one, then two, then three, scissoring and scraping against the tiny bundle of nerves that made me cry out once more as white sparks flashed across my field of vision.

At my cry Seto pulled away and I whimpered at the sudden burst of cold air hitting the flesh where his warm, wet mouth had been; but before I could miss the sensation that much he withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his throbbing, pounding member as he sheathed himself inside me. My breath caught in my throat. "Seto…" I moaned.

He started to move, his hard flesh pummeling against that bundle of nerves and sending up white sparks to flash across my eyes once more. Our breaths turned ragged, and I clawed helplessly at Seto's back as he kept pounding a steady rhythm inside me and lifted a shaky hand to grasp at my erection and stroke me at the same rapid pace; until, finally, the waves of heat coiling at the base of my stomach under his careful touch reached a frantic pitch and exploded, sending white fluid spraying onto Seto's stomach as I gasped feverishly at my release.

The rippling aftershocks of my orgasm sent Seto over the edge not long after, and the two of us collapsed beside each other on the bed, tugging the sheets up over us and settling down to sleep, not caring that it was only about two o'clock in the afternoon. Seto wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close against his chest, so that my head fit snugly in the crook of his shoulder, my ear pressed just over the steady thud of his heartbeat.

"…love you…" Seto mumbled, yawning, a minute or two later, and I closed my eyes with a smile, knowing somehow that I would remember this moment forever. After all, some things never leave a person.


End file.
